Well, he didn't say that exactly, but if you believe that a defense should be allowed to substitute, for more than 7 seconds, then you can't make an exception at the end of the game - you know with "player safety" the concern.
Nick Saban Wants Rule Change That Offsets High Tempo Offenses | Rocky Top Insider
“The way it used to be, the [official] would spot the ball and you couldn’t snap the ball [immediately],”
Saban told Dellenger. “When a team can snap the ball within seven seconds of the [play] clock, is that really good for player safety? I’m just asking the question. When you are on the defensive side, you can’t even change personnel.”