re: Where does Saban rank as a game day coach in the sec?

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2) has his teams so superbly prepared to play BEFOREHAND that he often doesn't have to do a whole lot of intricate game-day coaching.

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That's pretty much how Saban views it. He once said people are way too obsessed with what plays you call and that what matters is the execution of the play you do call.

I mean, if you asked him "Why'd you go for it on 4th and 1?" in his mind he'd be thinking "Doesn't matter, we shoulda just executed and converted it"

Saban doesn't approach a football game from a strategic mindset, like a chess game, where you out maneuver your opponent. He approaches it from a more militaristic mindset. He values discipline, preparation, focus, effort. Strategy comes after those things to Saban. He seems to believe that if you do those other things the strategy is largely irrelevant because you'll just bulldoze your opponent, and more often than not he's right, the last few years speak for themselves.

Embracing a strategy mindset in addition to his philosophy would indeed be wise and improve his teams and his coaching, I mean, the plays you call DO matter, and in game adjustments and maneuvering are wise and shouldn't be ignored, however at the end of the day if you get the best talent and prepare them during the week, the odds you winning on Saturdays are very high, his results on the field speak for themselves.