Why did Saban not have the same type success at LSU?

No Purple Elephant Club

5 pages.

In on page one.

I would say perception. He was not established as a big time coach when he got to LSU. He had name recognition when he took the job at Bama.

He hadn't established himself as a NC coach yet, and the talent he assembled won the 2007 championship and should have won the 2006 championship.

If he had stayed, he probably would have had the same success. And that fact is why it bothers LSU fans so much. They realize what could have been.

If Saban would've stayed longer his reign at LSU would've been very similar to his at Alabama. He most likely would've won back to back titles in 2006 & 2007. Hell, LSU was loaded in 2005 and he probably could've won at least an SEC title with that team.

He's just a lot happier in Tuscaloosa than he ever was there. He likes us more. His heart is in it this time.

1 thing that can skew that overall record a little is the extra cupcake game from 2008-2011 vs. 2001-2004. Didn't go to 4 OOC games till 2005-6 ish IIRC?

One thing that did drastically derail 1 season at LSU was losing Matt Mauck in the 2002 season to injury. We went 3-4 without Mauck replaced by Jordan Jefferson jr. (Marcus Randall). That was a huge blow to that season.

That 2002 season could have ended much differently if he never got hurt.

He used LSU to get name recognition. Then went to Alabama to refine his coaching abilities while waiting on the Miss State job - the one he always wanted. Don't get me wrong, Alabama is a good gig but Msu is where his heart is. We are all very excited for the breaking news at seasons end.

Without reading all the other responses.

Saban won a SEC Title in his 2nd year at both places.

In Saban's 3rd year at LSU: 2002. Matt Mauck broke his leg in the 4th quarter in a game where LSU was up 31-7 (or something like that) against Florida. That broken leg combined with losing our QB on Defense for the season a game later destroyed the 2002 season. LSU simply did not have an effective back-up QB to come in and execute the way Mauck could.

Saban won a National Title in his 3rd season at Bama and in his 4th season at LSU. See 3rd season at LSU above.

In Saban's 5th season at LSU, he was pretty pre-occupied with going to the NFL. He started flirting with the NFL in 2002 and by the 2004 season, he was pretty hell bent on going. Saban always had a major itch to coach at the highest level and he got his chance at the end of the 2004 season. No way LSU loses to Iowa in that bowl game if Saban hadn't checked out mentally after signing with the Dolphins.

Go look at LSU's signing classes under Saban in 2001-2004. They are freaking Great. He set up Miles perfectly. Had Saban stayed on at LSU, there is no doubt in my mind that LSU wins a National Title 2 out of the next 3 years.

Saban had already scratched his NFL itch by the time he signed on with Bama. Bama gave him ultimate control of the entire program. He earned that control through his success at LSU.

Saban learned a lot in his time at LSU and with the Dolphins. Believe it or not, but people actually do get better with age and experience. A lot of young people don't quite understand that concept.

Saban and Bama during this run have been the perfect marriage. Nothing more to add here. Bama is a great, great job and Saban is the best coach in the history of College football. The results speak for themselves.