John David Mercer, USA TODAY SPORTS
Since the arrival of Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, the Alabama Crimson Tide have clearly been the best program in all of college football. Saban has led the Tide to three BCS National Championships, including the last two in a row, and Alabama will certainly be a contender for another title in 2013.
Saban took over the Crimson Tide program in 2007, and he went 7-6 in his first season. Since then, Alabama has won at least 10 games in each season, with national championships in 2009, 2011 and 2012. In six seasons in Tuscaloosa, Saban is 68-13. In his last five seasons, he is 61-7.
Saban has proven to be one of the best college football coaches in the history of the game. Prior to coming to Alabama, Saban won a BCS National Championship at LSU in 2003. His career record is 159-55-1 in 17 seasons as a college head coach at Alabama, with the LSU Tigers, the Michigan State Spartans and at Toledo.
There has been a lot of talk about Saban during this offseason. Most recently, Eric Hyman, athletic director for the Texas A&M Aggies, said “what do the moon and Texas A&M have in common? They both control the Tide.” That was in reference to the Aggies’ win in Tuscaloosa last season.
Earlier in this offseason, Tim Davis, a former Saban assistant who is now the offensive line coach for the Florida Gators, said that his current boss, Will Muschamp, “coached under the devil himself for seven years,” in reference to Saban. Davis later apologized for the remark.
James Franklin, head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores, also had a negative comment about Saban during this offseason. Franklin referred to Saban as “Nicky Satan” during a speaking engagement. Franklin also apologized after making his statement.
It’s tough to have a bulls-eye on your back, and that’s where Saban is at this point in his career. The fact is, other programs are jealous of what Saban has done at Alabama; If they are talking about him, it generally means they can’t, or at least haven’t, beaten him.
Unless something strange happens, Saban will continue to draw the ire of opposing coaches for years to come.
