TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama coach Nick Saban said he had reason not to suspend receiver Jermaine Burton from Saturday’s game against Mississippi State after video surfaced that appeared to show Burton strike a woman who stormed the field when Tennessee beat the Crimson Tide last week at Neyland Stadium.
But what that reason was, Saban would not say.
“I didn’t think it was necessary to suspend the guy,” Saban said. “If you knew the whole story, maybe you wouldn’t either. But I’m not going to divulge that.”
Burton had two catches for 40 yards as No. 6 Alabama beat No. 24 Mississippi State 30-6.
Afterward, Saban was asked what went into his decision to not sit the former Georgia transfer.
“Look,” Saban told reporters. “I don’t know how many of you have ever been in a situation like that. But I talked to [Burton]. He was scared. I was scared. Some of our other players were scared.”
But, he added, “I think you learn to respect other people because we have a responsibility to do that regardless of the circumstance that we’re in.”
Earlier in the week, Saban said the team was gathering information after a video on social media appeared to show Burton striking a female fan who rushed the field at Tennessee.
Emily Isaacs posted the video on TikTok with the comment: “Jermaine Burton smacking me in the head while walking past him after their loss Saturday,” with a thumbs-up emoji and an #ouch hashtag.
Tennessee, which won 52-49 and broke a 15-game losing streak to Alabama, was fined $100,000 by the SEC for its second violation of the league’s field access policy.
Saban said that Burton is in a counseling program.
“It’s not an anger management program as people announce today. Nobody ever said that,” Saban said. “That’s not the problem. That’s not the issue. It’s about having the proper respect for other people.”
Burton was targeted four times by Alabama quarterback Bryce Young on Saturday.
Young, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, completed 21 of 35 passes for 249 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Alabama, which committed a Saban-era record 17 penalties against Tennessee, had only three penalties against Mississippi State.
The Crimson Tide defense, which gave up more than 500 total yards of offense to Tennessee, held Mississippi State to 293 yards and one touchdown.
Alabama has next Saturday off before it travels to LSU on Nov. 5.