What does 'LANK' mean? Why Jalen Milroe, Alabama adopted 'let all naysayers know' mantra in 2023

Alabama football was not a team that was used to being doubted under Nick Saban. However, it faced plenty of adversity in his final season.

Indeed, during 2023 College Football Playoff run, there were those who said the Crimson Tide didn't belong in the postseason all year due to an early-season loss against Texas and a shockingly tight game against South Florida.

Even with all of the doubt, Alabama defeated Georgia in the SEC Championship before taking the eventual national champion Michigan to overtime in the Rose Bowl. And through it all, the Tide were playing with a mantra adopted by quarterback Jalen Milroe that perfectly encapsulated the attitude of the rare Tuscaloosa team that felt it was playing with house money: "LANK."

LANK, or simply "let all naysayers know," was a rallying cry Alabama had brought into the season.

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“LANK was something we built in the offseason,” Milroe told reporters in September 2023 . “We came in as one unit to think of a motto to push our team. There was a lot of doubt throughout the offseason. We came together and made that our motto this year.”

College football teams having spectral doubters is nothing new to the sport — indeed, a Saban disciple has made an already-illustrious career of convincing his players no one believes in them in Kirby Smart's Georgia program — but LANK became a self-fulfilling prophecy for a Tide team that was controversially picked over Florida State for a playoff spot despite having one loss against the Seminoles ' none during the 2023 season.

The acronym also gained some infamy for bringing "College GameDay" watchers the funniest moment of the season between Rece Davis and Pat McAfee.

What does LANK mean?

LANK is an acronym devised by the Alabama football team in 2023 that stands for "let a naysayer know" or "let all naysayers know."

While more often than not credited to Jalen Milroe, it was something the entire team stood for in the 2023 season. Indeed, the entire team profited off the LANK mantra through NIL, with a pop-up with merch signed by Milroe and now-Detroit Lion Terrion Arnold appearing in Pasadena ahead of the Rose Bowl.

So ingrained into the Alabama mentality was the expression, a documentary released by the athletic department came out in August around the LANK culture and how it has permeated all Alabama sports, not just football.

What is the LANK House?

The LANK House is a tribute to 2023 Alabama football, which will go down in history as the last team Saban coached.

The LANK house was funded by Nick's Kids Foundation for Habitat for Humanity, Saban and Ms. Terry's charity. Per the charity's website:

The 2023 Alabama Football Team was honored to participate in the SEC Championship against the Georgia Bulldogs. After a physical game, the Tide celebrated as the confetti fell. Their victory and amazing season will be honored by Nick's Kids Foundation sponsoring its 20th Habitat for Humanity House, "The LANK House"!

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What does 'LANK' mean? Why Jalen Milroe, Alabama adopted 'let all naysayers know' mantra in 2023