ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low

It’s no secret that linebacker Rolando McClain is one of those guys Alabama’s Nick Saban loves coaching.

For starters, McClain’s a great player. But he and Saban are also a lot alike.

Senior cornerback Javier Arenas joked that having McClain out on the field is the equivalent of having Saban in uniform, albeit a bigger, faster, more athletic version of Saban.

“He’s real smart and has all the features that a great linebacker should possess,” Arenas said of the 6-foot-4, 258-pound McClain. “He’s smart. He’s fast. He’ll hit you, and he’s just like coach Saban being out there on the defense.

“Picture coach Saban being huge and able to play football. That’s what it’s like out there.”

McClain got a chuckle out of Arenas’ analogy, but he readily admits that he and Saban have their similarities.

Neither is easy to please.

“We’re both perfectionists, have a low tolerance for guys who don’t know what to do, and that’s what makes us somewhat similar,” McClain said. “Being in my third year, I pretty much know a lot about this defense, and we’re both good leaders.”