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Which attributes enabled Nick Saban to be so successful as a HC?
Posted on 11/13/25 at 10:55 pm
Posted on 11/13/25 at 10:55 pm
I never followed his career that closely, so asking those on the board that did.
What were his key strengths?
Were there any glaring weaknesses in his approach that could have been exploited?
What were his key strengths?
Were there any glaring weaknesses in his approach that could have been exploited?
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Posted on 11/13/25 at 10:57 pm to SPAGHETTI PLATE
Work ethic.
They created rules to limit him in recruiting because he outworked everyone else.
The day after winning the National Championship, he still expected all the staff to show up and get to work.
They created rules to limit him in recruiting because he outworked everyone else.
The day after winning the National Championship, he still expected all the staff to show up and get to work.
Posted on 11/13/25 at 10:57 pm to SPAGHETTI PLATE
His relentless day in day out pursuit of perfection. The ability to truly not be results oriented. Tunnel vision on the next opponent. A lot of coaches talk that talk, but he seemed to actually do it.
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:01 pm to Fly1010
quote:
Tunnel vision on the next opponent.
This is so much easier said than done. A lot of coaches can end up smelling their own farts and fall prey to the classic "trap game"
This post was edited on 11/13/25 at 11:27 pm
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:01 pm to SPAGHETTI PLATE
Buying teams.
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:02 pm to SPAGHETTI PLATE
Hired Kirby
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:05 pm to SPAGHETTI PLATE
I have no inside knowledge but it always seemed to me like Saban treated his work and his team like a business.
He was extremely structured in how he did things and was process-oriented, not necessarily task-driven. And he seemed to take that very seriously. Even if the outcome of the game was good, if he wasn’t satisfied with the process, he was still unhappy. I think that takes (and shows) incredible discipline.
Having a guy at the top that talks and behaves that way and doesn’t just spout “coachspeak” is refreshing.
I think he saw the writing on the wall with where the sport was headed and knew people (players) would choose the highest bidder over diligence and structure. He still seemed to be one of those coaches who valued his players and his relationship to them…and them to each other. He knew NIL/Portal was interfering with that.
I really liked him and wish he still coached. But I’m pretty happy with his spot on Gameday.
He was extremely structured in how he did things and was process-oriented, not necessarily task-driven. And he seemed to take that very seriously. Even if the outcome of the game was good, if he wasn’t satisfied with the process, he was still unhappy. I think that takes (and shows) incredible discipline.
Having a guy at the top that talks and behaves that way and doesn’t just spout “coachspeak” is refreshing.
I think he saw the writing on the wall with where the sport was headed and knew people (players) would choose the highest bidder over diligence and structure. He still seemed to be one of those coaches who valued his players and his relationship to them…and them to each other. He knew NIL/Portal was interfering with that.
I really liked him and wish he still coached. But I’m pretty happy with his spot on Gameday.
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:06 pm to Gman84
quote:
Hired Kirby
Then owning him
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:07 pm to SPAGHETTI PLATE
The ability to sell his teams on focusing week in/week out.
As a current measuring stick ...
Kirby does it better than anyone else coaching right now but he's still yet to be close to having Saban's ability to do that. Kirby's about at 80% of doing that.
Cignetti ain't too far off but on a lower level.
Deboer is at about 60% of it.
As a current measuring stick ...
Kirby does it better than anyone else coaching right now but he's still yet to be close to having Saban's ability to do that. Kirby's about at 80% of doing that.
Cignetti ain't too far off but on a lower level.
Deboer is at about 60% of it.
This post was edited on 11/13/25 at 11:17 pm
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:11 pm to SPAGHETTI PLATE
attention to every last detail. great defensive mind, great at X and o's. great recruiter. get the process/performance right first then you will see results. he ate, drank, slept, pissed football 24/7 for decades. they do not make them like him often. he is an anomaly. and....he can be very motivational when needed.
i was at this game.
i was at this game.
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:11 pm to SPAGHETTI PLATE
Serious answer:
He had a profile of players that worked for his system. When he brought players into camp he knew down to a science the size, speed, twitch, etc. It’s something he took from pro scouting and applied to college recruiting.
It’s why when he offered low star kids every recruiting service bumped them up and dumbass fans said “hur hurr Bama bump” and then he’d keep winning. He was better at evaluating talent for his system than anyone.
Then, that became self fulfilling thing. Once you set the precedent that you are great at getting kids to the league and assistants into millionaire HC positions then they all want to come there. The back half of his career was him really riding the wave of everything he’d built.
He had a profile of players that worked for his system. When he brought players into camp he knew down to a science the size, speed, twitch, etc. It’s something he took from pro scouting and applied to college recruiting.
It’s why when he offered low star kids every recruiting service bumped them up and dumbass fans said “hur hurr Bama bump” and then he’d keep winning. He was better at evaluating talent for his system than anyone.
Then, that became self fulfilling thing. Once you set the precedent that you are great at getting kids to the league and assistants into millionaire HC positions then they all want to come there. The back half of his career was him really riding the wave of everything he’d built.
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:14 pm to SPAGHETTI PLATE
Absolute master of psychology on his players. Knew their chemistry and minds and what to say to make them understand HE knew how to give them their best shot at the pros. How to prepare for big games.
Work ethic: android status. Totally fking relentless in every conceivable way.
Ability to adapt. Hire and fire staff properly.
Recruiting. Spoke for itself.
Connected to the right people at the highest level. Said the right stuff they all wanted to hear to get good PR.
Ran his ship like a pro organization. Every part of training, coaching, practice, and diet and everything they did was a science. Everything was followed.
Put himself into position to have full control on punishments when players stepped outta line. He got to go easy when he wanted to.
Made fans understand their role. Developed great relationship with fans. Started on day one with The Process and tempering expectations.
The list is so endless. These were just at the top of my head.
Work ethic: android status. Totally fking relentless in every conceivable way.
Ability to adapt. Hire and fire staff properly.
Recruiting. Spoke for itself.
Connected to the right people at the highest level. Said the right stuff they all wanted to hear to get good PR.
Ran his ship like a pro organization. Every part of training, coaching, practice, and diet and everything they did was a science. Everything was followed.
Put himself into position to have full control on punishments when players stepped outta line. He got to go easy when he wanted to.
Made fans understand their role. Developed great relationship with fans. Started on day one with The Process and tempering expectations.
The list is so endless. These were just at the top of my head.
This post was edited on 11/13/25 at 11:16 pm
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:18 pm to SPAGHETTI PLATE
Paying better players. Do you really believe that banks were putting out 50k loans to freshman because they'd likely go pro and pay it back? Much less everyone of them picking dodges?
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:23 pm to Fat Bastard
quote:
i was at this game.
Hello, Fat Bastard, that was a great video you linked to. It was criminally short though.
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:29 pm to ScottLA
a painful loss in OT for us. but not as bad as miles shitting bed at end of game in 2012 and 2014.
orgeron and even miles were good motivators but saban had his days also.
dominate the opponent was his MO. Make their asses quit. any football fan can appreciate that mentality.
Posted on 11/13/25 at 11:47 pm to SPAGHETTI PLATE
Being a midget, napoleon complex and insecurity made him never stop trying to compensate in other ways
Posted on 11/14/25 at 12:50 am to 3down10
quote:
Work ethic.
They created rules to limit him in recruiting because he outworked everyone else.
This. He favored the college game because he felt like he could out work everyone else at other schools while the NFL was much more rigid in their schedules and when you could and couldn't work. His first spring at Alabama he visited so many schools laying the foundation for that 2008 recruiting class leading to the NCAA restricting head coaches doing that anymore. I believe it was Frank Beamer that whined he had to cancel his usual vacation because of it in his bid to get the NCAA to restrict spring recruiting. Tommy Tubs famously went duck hunting instead of recruiting like Saban one December ultimately leading to him getting fired at Auburn too.
quote:
The day after winning the National Championship, he still expected all the staff to show up and get to work.
Hell not even that long. In the locker room in Pasadena he congratulated the seniors and thanked them for helpping return Alabama to the mountain top and then just ripped into the underclassman saying that's not how you finish games and that's unacceptable and cannot happen again.
Posted on 11/14/25 at 12:56 am to Magnificent
quote:
Magnificent
quote:
Buying teams.
quote:
Themicah86
quote:
Paying better players
How much did the 2003 LSU team cost?
This post was edited on 11/14/25 at 1:02 am
Posted on 11/14/25 at 1:01 am to SPAGHETTI PLATE
1. Work like a psychopath. Treat the game like military. Strict rules and attention to detail. Demand perfection
2. Buy the best players
3. Be at a sacred cow school that allows you to buy the players without punishment
4. Produce NFL talent
Simple as that. It’s no wonder why he left once the playing field was more even
2. Buy the best players
3. Be at a sacred cow school that allows you to buy the players without punishment
4. Produce NFL talent
Simple as that. It’s no wonder why he left once the playing field was more even
Posted on 11/14/25 at 1:26 am to 3down10
quote:
Work ethic.
This is definitely the most important. The amount of time and mental and physical energy it takes to be a successful college coach at a big program is a tall order. Most people aren't capable of doing it or sustaining it.
Saban actually thrived off it. You can tell he wasn't happy if he wasn't working and he demanded that sorta commit from everyone around him too.
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