re: A former college and NFL coach for 40 years was asked who the 5 greatest

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I said it before, Saban would not have as many NCs under the System that Bear Bryant played under.


What's your argument here? Most people say that the main component in Saban's success is his ability to recruit more talented players than everyone else. With no scholarship limitations wouldn't his talent differential be even more insane?

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I don't think that was his point. Take Saban's teams with identical records and rankings, and most of them wouldn't have had a path to a championship in a bowl game.

Under the postseason system Bryant operated under, we would not have won in 2011. The undefeated SEC champion LSU would have played in the Sugar Bowl against a much lower ranked opponent...probably #7 Boise. Maybe we would have played Oklahoma State in the Orange Bowl. LSU probably doesn't lose.

In 2012 we win if Notre Dame agrees to go to the Sugar Bowl to play Alabama, or if they get beat by a lesser ranked bowl opponent in the Orange or Cotton.

In 2015 we probably don't win because #1 Clemson goes to the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma...who they pummeled anyway. We get stuck in the Sugar Bowl, against either #6 Stanford or #7 Ohio State.

In 2017 #1 Clemson gets either Alabama or Oklahoma...probably Oklahoma, since Oklahoma was higher ranked and had the Heisman winner. #3 Georgia probably gets Wisconsin in the Sugar Bowl. Alabama gets stuck probably in the Cotton or Fiesta Bowl with no path to the championship.

In 2008, without an SECCG, we would have gone to the Sugar Bowl as conference champions...but we would have probably played #4 Florida, and if the results had been the same, either Florida, Texas, or Oklahoma would have been champions.

So under the same system, Saban wins in 2009, and maybe 2012. That's it.

If Bryant had an opportunity in 1966 and 1977 to play in a 4 team playoff, maybe he wins championships those years. But he also loses any credit for 1973.