re: Top 5 best hires in SEC history

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Anyone being honest would have to call LSU’s hiring of Nick Saban to be among the most important in the history of not just the SEC but also of college football history. What he built at LSU paved the way for what he did at Alabama. We never consider the man for a job if not for what he did at LSU. Almost 20 years after his departure and his impact can still be seen and felt at that university.

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Definitely, and I don't say that just because I'm an LSU fan.

Look at the impact Saban made in the SEC; before he came, you had Alabama occasionally winning a title. Florida made a run with Spurrier but only one title for it all, and it didn't elevate the SEC, unless you say Tennessee got theirs due to rising to challenge them. Otherwise you had Richt at UGA, Tuberville at Auburn; guys who were good, but Top Five good, not Natty good. Everyone would be thrilled going 10-2 and finishing high.

Saban came and won at LSU, and established them as a contender. The rest of the SEC forced to elevate to compete. Saban gets to Alabama because of his history at LSU, Urban to Florida to compete with LSU. Miles expected to win because of Saban's time at LSU. Jimbo and Muschamp are quickly hired as Coach in Waiting at major powers (Texas, Fla State) because they are Saban proteges, Derek Dooley lands the Tennessee job for that reason, Kirby eventually to UGA for the same reason again. The man didn't just win games, he had a detailed plan to build a successful program from every angle. Once that program is in place, it will continue to succeed unless you intentionally break it.

The only other guy with influence remotely similar is Pete Carroll (Kiffen, Orgeron, Sarkesian), but Saban had to fix 2 of their careers (and O could have used the help too). Carroll had football acumen, Saban built programs.