How quickly can he turn this thing around at Bama? What kind of effect will he have on the 3rd Sat in Oct? :unsure:
CECIL HURT: Saban gets comfortable, takes control
The nations highest-paid college football coach became the nations highest-paid graduate assistant on Saturday afternoon.
All the more reason Nick Saban deserves to be the highest-paid college football coach.
Saban, whose presence is already permeating into every level of the University of Alabama football program, conducted his first spring practice, keeping a watchful eye on everything that transpired and -- when needed -- assisting one of his own assistants.
Were short a GA [graduate assistant] in the secondary right now, so Kirby Smart is having to coach all those guys," Saban said. Since about 50 percent of what we do defensively involves some sort of nickel [coverage], its hard for one guy to coach all those positions. So I am his GA in the individual periods."
That probably caught the attention of a few defensive backs, but it also illustrates Sabans attention to detail. Its not surprising that he can coach any area of the field, particularly the secondary. But it is a switch from recent seasons to have a head coach who can move with proficiency from one side of the football to the other, and one who is involving himself deeply in all aspects of the football program, administrative as well as on-the-field.
The more Saban takes control of things, the better Alabama is going to be, simply because the Crimson Tide program has been in need of a strong leader for a long time now, perhaps for as long as a decade.
The players werent available to share their thoughts with the media on Saturday, but just judging by motion and body language on the practice field, they seemed to be responding well to the demands that the new staff is making. The open periods of practice were abuzz with activity.
Saban talked afterwards about minimizing wasted time, avoiding the type of drills where many players simply stand and watch. Its a standard statement after every coaching change -- particularly every one prompted by performance -- that now things are different."
On Saturday, those werent just hollow words.
There is a fine line between being positive about the first on-the-field impression of Saban on the field at Alabama and using that impression to formulate lofty expectations that may or may not be reachable this season.
A win-loss record is never immaterial, of course, but I think it can be fairly contended that the Crimson Tide will be better off as a football program in 2007 regardless of its record, because it will be moving in the proper direction.
Saban didnt quite say the same thing on Saturday, but he came close when asked about hype" surrounding his first day at Alabama.
Theres no hype for me," he said. I dont care about that. You [in the media] create that. Im here to teach players That [hype] is an external factor. Are you motivated by internal factors, or external factors? By what somebody else wants you to do or by where you want to go yourself? The external doesnt concern me." Thats why Saban is comfortable, even as an assistants assistant when the need is there. Its why he wont accelerate the pace of practice, even though he declared himself pleased with the teams knowledge and effort on Day One. After one day of spring, everything is moving according to plan, it appears. And having a plan -- a proven, long-range, ambitious plan -- is, after all, the greatest need that Alabama has had, and the greatest thing that Nick Saban can provide.
CECIL HURT: Saban gets comfortable, takes control
The nations highest-paid college football coach became the nations highest-paid graduate assistant on Saturday afternoon.
All the more reason Nick Saban deserves to be the highest-paid college football coach.
Saban, whose presence is already permeating into every level of the University of Alabama football program, conducted his first spring practice, keeping a watchful eye on everything that transpired and -- when needed -- assisting one of his own assistants.
Were short a GA [graduate assistant] in the secondary right now, so Kirby Smart is having to coach all those guys," Saban said. Since about 50 percent of what we do defensively involves some sort of nickel [coverage], its hard for one guy to coach all those positions. So I am his GA in the individual periods."
That probably caught the attention of a few defensive backs, but it also illustrates Sabans attention to detail. Its not surprising that he can coach any area of the field, particularly the secondary. But it is a switch from recent seasons to have a head coach who can move with proficiency from one side of the football to the other, and one who is involving himself deeply in all aspects of the football program, administrative as well as on-the-field.
The more Saban takes control of things, the better Alabama is going to be, simply because the Crimson Tide program has been in need of a strong leader for a long time now, perhaps for as long as a decade.
The players werent available to share their thoughts with the media on Saturday, but just judging by motion and body language on the practice field, they seemed to be responding well to the demands that the new staff is making. The open periods of practice were abuzz with activity.
Saban talked afterwards about minimizing wasted time, avoiding the type of drills where many players simply stand and watch. Its a standard statement after every coaching change -- particularly every one prompted by performance -- that now things are different."
On Saturday, those werent just hollow words.
There is a fine line between being positive about the first on-the-field impression of Saban on the field at Alabama and using that impression to formulate lofty expectations that may or may not be reachable this season.
A win-loss record is never immaterial, of course, but I think it can be fairly contended that the Crimson Tide will be better off as a football program in 2007 regardless of its record, because it will be moving in the proper direction.
Saban didnt quite say the same thing on Saturday, but he came close when asked about hype" surrounding his first day at Alabama.
Theres no hype for me," he said. I dont care about that. You [in the media] create that. Im here to teach players That [hype] is an external factor. Are you motivated by internal factors, or external factors? By what somebody else wants you to do or by where you want to go yourself? The external doesnt concern me." Thats why Saban is comfortable, even as an assistants assistant when the need is there. Its why he wont accelerate the pace of practice, even though he declared himself pleased with the teams knowledge and effort on Day One. After one day of spring, everything is moving according to plan, it appears. And having a plan -- a proven, long-range, ambitious plan -- is, after all, the greatest need that Alabama has had, and the greatest thing that Nick Saban can provide.
