Jordan Battle, a safety for the Alabama Crimson Tide, said something eyebrow-raising earlier this week: Nick Saban loves deez nuts jokes. Battle was asked during a press conference whether he has a favorite saying from Saban, which led to a truly delightful answer that appeared to get someone in the room to yelp.
Perhaps the funniest moment in Alabama player interviews in my 12 years covering the team. pic.twitter.com/WXs4aiWlqr
— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) September 14, 2021
“He’s always talkin’ about, ‘touch deez,’ or, you know, ‘suck on deez,’” Battle claims Saban loves to say.
This surprised plenty of folks, because Saban does not exactly seem like the kind of guy who laughs at much of anything, let alone jokes that formed in the darkest depths of Twitter. Saban has in the past been asked about his love of this specific joke, but there is still a pretty major question that exists: Why, exactly, is this a go-to for Nick Saban?
Source of all important college football information Lane Kiffin has the answer. Kiffin was Saban’s offensive coordinator for several years, and he has the backstory as to how he became aware of this joke format.
Lane Kiffin adds some valuable insight on Saban’s “deez nutz” jokes. Says it started with @marlon_humphrey, who introduced Saban to the jokes. Saban took it from there. Deez nutz are a process.
— Joseph Goodman (@JoeGoodmanJr) September 15, 2021
Humphrey addressed this but decided to sidestep Kiffin’s claim.
No comment
https://t.co/b8ZvH4t49v
— Marlon Humphrey (@marlon_humphrey) September 15, 2021
I would still like to know exactly what joke hooked Saban here, but Marlon Humphrey, thank you for your role in teaching Saban about deez nuts jokes.