Alabama this year had the most talented recruiting roster ever. Over a 4 year recruiting composite it was the best roster assembled, the second most talented roster in history was LAST years Alabama team.
Talent wasn’t the issue.
Nick Saban retiring
- Thread starter BigJCy
- Start date
Talent wasn’t the issue.
God I would love that, just cause you know Sabin wouldn't be able to keep his nose out of it. Probably end up shooting Urban.
Bill Belichick could probably coach them for four years. Recruits would line up to play for him…
- Mar 27, 2006
- 42,635
- 33,496
- 113
Isn't he in his 70s as well? Something tells me he's not going to have any desire to do that. Also, I'm not sure Alabama is going to have their sights set on another senior citizen to replace Saban.
Saban grew up in fairmont wva. his dad owned a gas station, and he worked for his dad in high school.
met his wife at a science fair in 8th grade--said he knew "she was the one for me" the first time he met her.
met his wife at a science fair in 8th grade--said he knew "she was the one for me" the first time he met her.
They better hire Rich Rodriguez THIS TIME! / sarcasm
Kirby Smart is the best coach left in CFB, but he is not going anywhere. He is home and about to become the King of the Hill without having to worry about Saban any longer.
Could be Kiffin, Sark, Lanning or Cristobal if they keep it in the Saban Family and a young sitting College Head Coach. Texas would throw a ton of money at Sark, but how rich can you be?, and this is not about money.
I don't think Dabo will be the choice. Big Money Bammers do not like him.
I think it will be an NFL Coach. It's hard going from being an assistant to being a HC at a place like Alabama. Pete Carroll for a cycle would not shock me, but would not be a long-term hire. However, my money is on DeMeco Ryans. Not a Saban guy (he played for Mike Shula), but he would be a great fit. That's who I want anyway. We will know soon enough. Keeping an eye out for the white smoke from the chimney!
FWIW, I've been a Coach Saban fan since he was @ Michigan State. Four games (3 in person and 1 on TV) stick out to me during his tenure with Sparty:
1996 Sun Bowl: I saw Stanford with Ty Willingham stomp Michigan State 38-0. On the bus ride back to the hotel after the game, there was a Spartan mom with her son's player button on her shirt, and she was not amused. So, off to a rough start!
In 1997, I saw Northwestern sneak off with a 19-17 win over Saban's Spartans.
Then, in 1998, I remember watching the end of the Michigan State @ Ohio State game on TV after getting home from the Northwestern game I went to that day. Sparty played great and Upset the #01 Buckeyes in the Horsehoe. The DBs had a GREAT game against the OSU receivers. Cost OSU a shot at the first BCS Championship. I thought to myself, that team could be really good next year!
Finally, in 1999, Michigan State @ Northwestern was a spanking! They just looked like an incredible team from the moment they came on the field, and that MSU team was Saban's first GREAT team as a HC with Plaxico Burress, T.J. Duckett, Robaire Smith, etc. They had 11 players who played in the NFL on that team They beat Northwestern 34-0 that day and looked good doing it. MSU finished 9-2, and Saban left for LSU.
Didin't go to any of his games @ LSU or with the Dolphins. However, I was still an Alabama season ticket holder during his first 7 years @ Alabama (2007-13). I went to his first S.E.C. game @ Vanderbilt (W24-10), the game vs. Houston (W30-24) and the LSU game @ BDS (L34-41) that year. It was an up and down year, but he was separating the wheat from the chaff. Alabama finished 7-6, but none of the losses were by more than 7 points.
Besides the 2007 loss to LSU, the only other loss I saw in person was 2010 vs. Auburn. However, I saw plenty of big wins including 2 Citrus Bowl wins (2011 over Michigan State and 2020 over Michigan), 2 SEC Championship Game Wins (2014 and 2015), the January 2013 BCS Championship Game win over Notre Dame, the 2018 Orange Bowl win over Oklahoma and the 2021 Cotton Bowl win over Cincinnati - which turns out to be my last Saban coached Alabama game.
He'll be missed!
Kirby Smart is the best coach left in CFB, but he is not going anywhere. He is home and about to become the King of the Hill without having to worry about Saban any longer.
Could be Kiffin, Sark, Lanning or Cristobal if they keep it in the Saban Family and a young sitting College Head Coach. Texas would throw a ton of money at Sark, but how rich can you be?, and this is not about money.
I don't think Dabo will be the choice. Big Money Bammers do not like him.
I think it will be an NFL Coach. It's hard going from being an assistant to being a HC at a place like Alabama. Pete Carroll for a cycle would not shock me, but would not be a long-term hire. However, my money is on DeMeco Ryans. Not a Saban guy (he played for Mike Shula), but he would be a great fit. That's who I want anyway. We will know soon enough. Keeping an eye out for the white smoke from the chimney!
FWIW, I've been a Coach Saban fan since he was @ Michigan State. Four games (3 in person and 1 on TV) stick out to me during his tenure with Sparty:
1996 Sun Bowl: I saw Stanford with Ty Willingham stomp Michigan State 38-0. On the bus ride back to the hotel after the game, there was a Spartan mom with her son's player button on her shirt, and she was not amused. So, off to a rough start!
In 1997, I saw Northwestern sneak off with a 19-17 win over Saban's Spartans.
Then, in 1998, I remember watching the end of the Michigan State @ Ohio State game on TV after getting home from the Northwestern game I went to that day. Sparty played great and Upset the #01 Buckeyes in the Horsehoe. The DBs had a GREAT game against the OSU receivers. Cost OSU a shot at the first BCS Championship. I thought to myself, that team could be really good next year!
Finally, in 1999, Michigan State @ Northwestern was a spanking! They just looked like an incredible team from the moment they came on the field, and that MSU team was Saban's first GREAT team as a HC with Plaxico Burress, T.J. Duckett, Robaire Smith, etc. They had 11 players who played in the NFL on that team They beat Northwestern 34-0 that day and looked good doing it. MSU finished 9-2, and Saban left for LSU.
Didin't go to any of his games @ LSU or with the Dolphins. However, I was still an Alabama season ticket holder during his first 7 years @ Alabama (2007-13). I went to his first S.E.C. game @ Vanderbilt (W24-10), the game vs. Houston (W30-24) and the LSU game @ BDS (L34-41) that year. It was an up and down year, but he was separating the wheat from the chaff. Alabama finished 7-6, but none of the losses were by more than 7 points.
Besides the 2007 loss to LSU, the only other loss I saw in person was 2010 vs. Auburn. However, I saw plenty of big wins including 2 Citrus Bowl wins (2011 over Michigan State and 2020 over Michigan), 2 SEC Championship Game Wins (2014 and 2015), the January 2013 BCS Championship Game win over Notre Dame, the 2018 Orange Bowl win over Oklahoma and the 2021 Cotton Bowl win over Cincinnati - which turns out to be my last Saban coached Alabama game.
He'll be missed!
Last edited:
Franklin's Penn State team had an dramatic 31 - 0 win over a ranked Iowa team last year. That has to impress the Alabama AD.
Greatest coach to ever grace the sidelines is now retired, good for him. How many coaches out there with the success that Saban had, would totally change the way he was doing things, move away from defense and running the ball and turn to a passing attack? Few would be willing to do what he did.
How many coaches would bench their starting QB in the championship game, a QB that had won the championship the year before, few if any.
Saban had one rule to the athletes he recruited, it's your job to beat out the guy in the front of you if you want to play, if you are better than him, you will be playing, if not, it's on you to get better.
The first day after being hired he called in all the big money boosters, and basically told them "He was in charge, do not interfere with my players or my team", the room went silent, but in a few years, everyone in the room agreed that hiring Saban was the best thing to ever happen to Alabama football.
Good luck to the guy replacing him, he is going to need it.
How many coaches would bench their starting QB in the championship game, a QB that had won the championship the year before, few if any.
Saban had one rule to the athletes he recruited, it's your job to beat out the guy in the front of you if you want to play, if you are better than him, you will be playing, if not, it's on you to get better.
The first day after being hired he called in all the big money boosters, and basically told them "He was in charge, do not interfere with my players or my team", the room went silent, but in a few years, everyone in the room agreed that hiring Saban was the best thing to ever happen to Alabama football.
Good luck to the guy replacing him, he is going to need it.
3 straight years with two losses and without a National Championship, and the Rose Bowl loss was the FINAL STRAW! / sarcasm
I love your passion (and travels) for college football! But there is 0 chance Alabama is getting Demeco Ryans
I think Saban was down to Mangino as the only OC left to rehabilitate and said screw it.
There was also Tom Herman. Neither one worth the breath used to say their name.
My thoughts are the same as AlaCyclone. An NFL would be a good target. Ryans would be awesome based upon his early returns at Houston.
However, if you are Ryans why leave? Similar money. You have a stud QB that will be there more than four years. No boosters to suck up to. No NIL. No year round recruiting.
I was thinking this too. Couple things I’ve seen said he is the “prime” candidate
A good NFL job is better than the best college football job. The only realistic NFL candidates I could see for Bama are coaches on the hot seat or currently fired.
And of those Vrabel or Carroll would probably be the only ones Bama would be interested in (Belichick will land another NFL gig)
He no doubt worked his ass off and maintained his principles his whole career (whether you agree with those principles or not). He’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
Ultimately it will be up to Clemson admin to decide if his process is worth sticking to. Will his attitude in the new landscape limit their ability to win championships?
I found these quotes interesting from an ESPN article linked here: https://www.espn.com/college-footba...otball-changing-better-worse-dabo-swinney-not
Attachments
If he wasn't from Birmingham (Jess Lanier H.S. in Bessemer) and a former Alabama star (2002-5), there would be no reason for him to make that move. However, if Mama Calls, I bet he would think about it. He'd be on my short list for sure.
Saban wanted Jimbo as his first Offensive Coardinator at Alabama, but he chose to go to FSU and work for Bobby Bowden instead. I was so happy when that happened, as I have never cared for Jimbo. I will be very disappointed if he becomes the Alabama Head Coach. Just a big GROSS-BURGER!
