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How does Bama win the recruiting crystal ball every year?
Posted on 2/6/14 at 8:53 am
Posted on 2/6/14 at 8:53 am
Listening to all the recruiting commentators on TV and radio the general consensus answers this question by stating that Nick Saban is simply a relentless recruiter. Saban doesn't take any time off. In fact I remember a quote by Bill King (paraphrasing), "when other coaches are on the golf course during the off season Nick Saban is doing work on the recruiting trail. Recruiting is Nick Saban's hobby. He loves it and he is damn good at it."
As an LSU fan after hearing this minor rant by Bill King, I put my tin foil hat on and said to myself, "frick that, there has to be more to this equation than just Saban's recruiting?" The first (and only) thought that occurred to me is that the REC has to playing a major role in reeling in these top bama classes year over year. So this morning I set out to prove this hypothesis. I believe the only real way to prove/disprove the hypothesis is to compare Saban's recruiting tenure with LSU and bama. So here it is:
In conclusion, all I can say is, bama's success in recruiting is all about Saban. If the REC played a major role in bama's recruiting there wouldn't have seen such a dramatic improvement in bama's recruiting pre-Saban versus now. Don't get me wrong, I do think that the REC plays a role in bama's recruiting however it's not likely more significant than the TAF for LSU (or any other SEC school's athletic foundation). The consensus appears to be correct...no REC conspiracy and Saban is simply a relentless recruiter and he loves it.
Food for thought...
As an LSU fan after hearing this minor rant by Bill King, I put my tin foil hat on and said to myself, "frick that, there has to be more to this equation than just Saban's recruiting?" The first (and only) thought that occurred to me is that the REC has to playing a major role in reeling in these top bama classes year over year. So this morning I set out to prove this hypothesis. I believe the only real way to prove/disprove the hypothesis is to compare Saban's recruiting tenure with LSU and bama. So here it is:
In conclusion, all I can say is, bama's success in recruiting is all about Saban. If the REC played a major role in bama's recruiting there wouldn't have seen such a dramatic improvement in bama's recruiting pre-Saban versus now. Don't get me wrong, I do think that the REC plays a role in bama's recruiting however it's not likely more significant than the TAF for LSU (or any other SEC school's athletic foundation). The consensus appears to be correct...no REC conspiracy and Saban is simply a relentless recruiter and he loves it.
Food for thought...
Posted on 2/6/14 at 8:54 am to GumboPot
Did he have equal sucess at LSU?
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:02 am to GumboPot
give the devil his due... he's the best recruiting head coach out there, and he's surrounded himself with great assistant coaching recruiters.
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:02 am to GumboPot
quote:
compare Saban's recruiting tenure with LSU and bama
Well this is apples to oranges. You're comparing the best program in college football history to LSU.
It's like comparing Cindy Crawford in her prime to Anna Kendrick. Sure, Anna is a cute girl that could get a lot of guys, but she ain't Crawford hot
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:02 am to sawfiddle
Just beat them on the field. That's all that matters.
This post was edited on 2/6/14 at 9:03 am
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:14 am to Riseupfromtherubble
quote:
Well this is apples to oranges. You're comparing the best program in college football history to LSU
Wrong, sir.
LSU was in a thousand times better shape when Saban got there than Alabama was when Saban got there.
DiNardo wasn't great by any means but he at least cleaned up the disaster that was the post-Arnsbarger Tigers. All Saban had to do is take what Gerry started and go from there.
Alabama was a complete mess when Saban got there. Probabtion. Cheating. Horrific coaching in all the phases of college football. Plus, Saban was coming off of 2 consecutive weasel-style job changes, and a 2 years stint as a total NFL failure. Yet, the turn around at Alabama, starting on the recruiting trail, was immediate.
The "great program" that was Alabama was no where when Saban got there.
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:15 am to i am dan
quote:
Just beat them on the field. That's all that matters.
And 1 out of every 3 years, yall do.

Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:16 am to Riseupfromtherubble
How many walmarts Cindy Crawford got?
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:17 am to sbrian3915
Alabama is a National brand. Has a ton of tradition and now has a great HC. They recruit well because they win a lot of football games and put a lot of guys in the NFL.
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:19 am to sbrian3915
quote:
Alabama was a complete mess when Saban got there.
They won 10 games the year before
quote:
Plus, Saban was coming off of 2 consecutive weasel-style job changes, and a 2 years stint as a total NFL failure

Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:22 am to GumboPot
That's whay happens when ypu put a great coach at Bama. Its simple really. Whats not to get?
Oh, and I love the but hurt.

Oh, and I love the but hurt.
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:23 am to sbrian3915
quote:
Alabama was a complete mess when Saban got there
This is a bit of hyperbole. Bama had a 10 win season capped off by a cotton bowl victory 2 years before saban arrived, they were ranked third in the country heading into november that year.
quote:
total NFL failure
More hyperbole. He was 1 game shy of .500 with one of the worst teams in the league at the time. Spurrier was a total failure, Nick's season were simply mediocre, which in reality is a pretty good job considering what he had to work with.
It's not like he was fired in Miami, if they deemed him such a failure there wouldn't be so much butthurt from them to this day
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:24 am to lowspark12
Because Bama fans pay more for recruiting sites than any other fan base. You have to feed the masses and Bama is their money maker.
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:27 am to parkjas2001
quote:
Did he have equal sucess at LSU?
Yeah. If you remove that first year listed in the OP chart you see that he had similar success at LSU as he has at Bama. The 2007 NFL draft is a great example of some of Saban's players at LSU (had 4 first rounders that year).
quote:
Just beat them on the field. That's all that matters.
Yeah. You guys got Bama this year. Congrats on that. You guys weren't too impressive against them (or LSU, or UGA) in 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008. So two good years in the last 6. Congrats.
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:28 am to TreyAnastasio
quote:
And 1 out of every 3 years, yall do.
Actually we are 2 of 4.
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:28 am to parkjas2001
quote:
Actually we are 2 and 4.
Yep, so 1 out of every three years yall beat us.
Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:31 am to nicholastiger
quote:
Because Bama fans pay more for recruiting sites than any other fan base. You have to feed the masses and Bama is their money maker.
And Sabans 3 crystal balls and 5 BCS game appearances total prove recruiting rankings are just biased in favor ofNama because of subscription sales.

Posted on 2/6/14 at 9:34 am to parkjas2001
quote:
Did he have equal sucess at LSU?
He's better at bama by 3 to 4 spots. But there is no 2000 and 2001 data from the recruiting services. Those two additional years would give us a better picture.
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