re: Most Overrated SEC coaching legend

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In his first 7 seasons of coaching at Tennessee, he goes 61-1-5. That means he won 91% of his games the first 7 years.

From 1938-1940, he wins 3 consecutive SEC championships (going 31-2 during that period).

He then resigns from coaching to fight in the army for 5 years (winning The Distinguished Service Medal, The Legion of Merit, being named a member of The Order of The British Empire). He resigns from the army to come back to coaching and wins the SEC in his first year. Within 5 years, he wins 2 consecutive SEC championships along with a National Championship (going 22-2).

He left coaching during the prime of his career, got into a completely different career (on another continent) and excelled...then half a decade later, came back to win a NC. How hard would it be for Saban to be successful if he were to quit coaching today, move to Indonesia for 5 years to build villages, then come back to coaching in 2021 and immediately win a conference championship?

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"People think I'm the greatest damn coach in the world," said the great Bear Bryant, "but Neyland taught me everything I know."
The Bear coached against Bob Neyland's Tennessee teams seven times and never beat him. "I never beat him," he said, "but I learned a lot from playing him."

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