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Saban UA's Longest-tenured coach since Coach Bryant
Posted on 7/20/14 at 11:27 pm
Posted on 7/20/14 at 11:27 pm
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quote:
HOOVER |
In five years he'll be gone.
Remember back in January 2007 when that was a popular refrain across the college football landscape?
At the time it was an understandable, even if misguided, thought. Up until then, Nick Saban had never stayed at one job, as an assistant or a head coach, more than five years.
So it stood to reason that the nomadic Saban would be gone from Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama in a similar timeframe.
Only it never happened.
Year five came and Saban led UA to a national championship. Year six produced SEC and national titles and year seven saw an 11-game win streak.
In fact, Saban is still strong going into his eighth season at Alabama. And as soon as he leads Alabama onto the Georgia Dome field Aug. 30 for the 2014 season opener against West Virginia, he will become the longest-tenured Crimson Tide head football coach since the late Paul W. "Bear" Bryant.
That's right, no coach since Bryant has lasted as long as Saban. In order that's Ray Perkins (four seasons, 1983-86), Bill Curry (three seasons, 1987-89), Gene Stallings (seven seasons, 1990-1996), Mike DuBose (four seasons, 1997-2000), Dennis Franchione (two seasons, 2001-02), Mike Price (never coached a game, 2003), and Mike Shula (four seasons, 2003-06).
What made the ever-wandering Saban stick with Alabama? That's a complex question, but broken down to its simplest form Saban found a long-term home in Tuscaloosa because he won big, avoided scandals and there were no "dream" jobs for him to chase. The UA administration stayed out of his way and gave him full control of the program, and he found a working relationship with the powerful boosters.
That may sound simple enough, but as the seven coaches before him proved, it isn't.
Curry won an SEC title, but his inability to beat Auburn sank him. DuBose also won a conference championship, but a 24-23 record did him in. Shula also never beat Auburn, and although he put together a magical season in 2005 it wasn't enough to overcome three other sub-par campaigns.
Saban has more than won big at Alabama: two SEC championships, three national titles, six straight 10-win seasons and a college football-best 72 wins in the last six seasons.
quote:
Perhaps the biggest single contributor to Saban's tenure at Alabama is the relationships he has forged with the administration. He often thanks them when explaining his success.
When he wanted a new weight room, he got it. When he asked to expand the football facility between the Mal Moore Football Building and the indoor facility, he got it.
Ron Higgins has covered the SEC for 35 years. He said Alabama and Saban have been a perfect marriage.
"You have to have cooperation from the administration to really do anything you want to do, whether it's the budget or how many people to hire," Higgins said. "They've said, 'Do what you need to do to win. Build the system you need to win.' He's got that support. Because Nick's built the infrastructure of that program like an NFL team. It is the state of Alabama's NFL team."
Posted on 7/20/14 at 11:33 pm to Tuscaloosa
quote:
two SEC championships, three national titles
quote:
Nick's built the infrastructure of that program like an NFL team.
But Miami tho
This post was edited on 7/20/14 at 11:34 pm
Posted on 7/20/14 at 11:35 pm to TTsTowel
quote:
Nb4AlabamaBoard
Thanks for taking care of this for me. I forgot.
Posted on 7/20/14 at 11:57 pm to Golfer
quote:
Golfer
Yeah it's a shame one of those came at the cost of an LSU title right
Posted on 7/21/14 at 12:11 am to Tuscaloosa
Saban to Texas.
Book it.
Book it.
Posted on 7/21/14 at 12:16 am to Tuscaloosa
Is this what it takes for you to sleep at night?
Posted on 7/21/14 at 12:24 am to Tuscaloosa
Whats his record against his rivals?
Posted on 7/21/14 at 12:28 am to ChexMix
quote:
Whats his record against his rivals?
11-3
Posted on 7/21/14 at 12:34 am to HempHead
inb4 LSU fans laughing about TSIO
Posted on 7/21/14 at 12:58 am to Tuscaloosa
third reich bama hunnnnughhghghhh
Posted on 7/21/14 at 7:33 am to FourThreeForty
quote:
Yeah it's a shame one of those came at the cost of an LSU title right
Sure is. It's a damn shame Michigan didn't get that rematch with Ohio State in 2006 too I guess.
Posted on 7/21/14 at 7:34 am to Tuscaloosa
Has Greg McElroy weighed in on this yet?
Posted on 7/21/14 at 10:17 am to Tuscaloosa
Still can't win in NFL
I know it burns his gut
I know it burns his gut
Posted on 7/21/14 at 10:27 am to lsusteve1
quote:
Still can't win in NFL
I know it burns his gut
Lemme guess? He's got a job offer from an NFL team, right? He already gone.
ETA: For most, CFB > NFL. I'll watch the NFL but if Alabama loses, it stings more than the Falcons. Some people/cities are this way. I believe Nick Saban likes the college game more than NFL, similar to fans liking it more as well.
This post was edited on 7/21/14 at 10:36 am
Posted on 7/21/14 at 10:30 am to lsusteve1
quote:Maybe, maybe not. He seems pretty happy in Tuscaloosa.
I know it burns his gut
Posted on 7/21/14 at 10:47 am to Tuscaloosa
He'll beat this record when he takes over the Cowboys next year and coaches for 10+ seasons.
Posted on 7/21/14 at 11:38 am to DoubleDown
quote:
For most, CFB > NFL.
Posted on 7/21/14 at 11:41 am to craigbiggio
^^^^^^^
BREAKING: a circle jerk thread.
BREAKING: a circle jerk thread.
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