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Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban is known for developing defensive backs, but not many knew the coach still had an elite backpedal himself. 

According to 247Sports reporter Brandon Marcello, Saban addressed comments from earlier this month when he said, "(Texas) A&M bought every player" in its historic recruiting class. 

"I didn't really say that anybody did anything wrong," Saban reportedly said at SEC spring meetings. "I've said everything I'm going to say about this. I should have never mentioned any individual institutions, as I've said before."

Saban's initial comments started a firestorm in the SEC, as he didn't hold back his thoughts about Texas A&M's recruiting approach. 

"You read about it, you know who they are," he said during a speaking engagement in Birmingham, Alabama in mid-May. "I mean, we were second in recruiting last year. (Texas) A&M was first. A&M bought every player on their team. Made a deal for name, image and likeness. We didn’t buy one player. Alright? But I don’t know if we’re going to be able to sustain that in the future, because more and more people are doing it."

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher responded the following day.

"First of all, I'll say it's a shame that we have to do this," he said in a news conference. "It's really despicable. It's despicable that somebody can say something about somebody, more importantly 17-year-old kids. You're taking shots at 17-year-old kids and their families, that they broke state laws. That we bought every player in this group. We never bought anybody. No rules were broken. Nothing was done wrong. The way we do things, the ethics in which we do things... and these families... It's despicable that a reputable head coach can come out and say this when he doesn't get his way or things don't go his way,. The narcissistic in him doesn't allow those things to happen. It's ridiculous, when he's not on top." 

Shortly thereafter SEC officials limited media availability and seemed to shut down the escalating situation.

Perhaps that's the reason for the massive change in tone from Saban this week.