Alabama HC Nate Oats gave go-ahead for Brandon Miller's 'pat-down' pregame intro

The latest controversy surrounding the Crimson Tide comes after Tuscaloosa detective Branden Culpepper testified last week during a preliminary hearing that Miller brought ex-teammate Darius Miles' gun to him the night of the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris in January, after Miles texted him to do so. Miles and Michael Lynn Davis are both facing capital murder charges.

"That situation is on me. We addressed as a team, and as soon as I brought it up to them, they immediately understood how it could be interpreted and we all felt awful about it," Oats said, per ESPN's Michael Rothstein. "They explained to me that it's like when TSA checks you before you get on a plane and now Brandon's cleared for takeoff."

Alabama (25-4) is the No. 2 team in the country, but the past week has been filled with scandal and overshadowed its pursuit of a No. 1 seed in March's NCAA Tournament. Oats was criticized last week when he appeared to downplay Miller's involvement in the incident, saying the forward was in the "wrong spot at the wrong time."

The Crimson Tide was again in headlines for the wrong reasons on Sunday when it was reported that the school's sports information director told reporters to stick to basketball-related questions.

"We, as the adults in the room, should have been more sensitive to how it could have been interpreted. I dropped the ball. That's it. I dropped the ball on it. We've addressed it. I can assure you that it won't happen again," Oats said, referring to the pat-down, per Rothstein.

According to Rothstein's report, Miller has done the same pat-down introduction during most games this season.

Miller hasn't been charged with a crime, and according to investigators, the 20-year-old has fully cooperated with police.

Per Rothstein, Tuesday was the fifth consecutive news conference where Alabama didn't make players available to address media members.

The Crimson Tide have two more regular-season games left (Wednesday vs. Auburn and Saturday at No. 24 Texas A&M), before they begin play in the SEC Tournament.