2014 Brother’s best coaching job
ever?
Brother has coached teams
to 4 national titles (3 at Alabama, 1 at LSU), but this might be his best
coaching job yet. He took a team that was 107th out of 128 in the
country in returning experience. He let Lane Kiffin install a spread offense
that Brother publicly expressed a distaste for as not being true football.
Here’s Alex Scarborough’s
story about Brother on ESPN.com:
Nick
Saban has worked wonders getting Alabama to No. 1
By Alex Scarborough | ESPN.com
TUSCALOOSA,
Ala. -- Take away the titles, the rings, the tradition.
Take away the fact that it’s Alabama.
Take away that it has four- and five-star recruits everywhere you turn.
Strip away the trappings of expectations and look for a second at what Nick Saban has done, and not the nearly $7 million he's earning and all that denotes. Instead, look closely at the team he had in the spring, the team he rode hard through the summer and fall, and what’s become of that team now. Look at how far he’s taken them.
Take away the fact that it’s Alabama.
Take away that it has four- and five-star recruits everywhere you turn.
Strip away the trappings of expectations and look for a second at what Nick Saban has done, and not the nearly $7 million he's earning and all that denotes. Instead, look closely at the team he had in the spring, the team he rode hard through the summer and fall, and what’s become of that team now. Look at how far he’s taken them.
Looking for a coach of the year candidate? You're reading about
him.
Regardless of what preseason polls said, Alabama has no business being here today, ranked No. 1 the week of the SEC championship game, a stone’s throw away from the top seed in the College Football Playoff. All those votes cast in June and July were hinged on the arm of a transfer quarterback and a coach who had won four national championships since 2003.
One of those came through, and it wasn’t Jameis Winston's backup at Florida State.
Whether it was molding Blake Sims into a championship-caliber QB, shaping a young defense into one of the country’s best, or wading through the treacherous waters of the SEC West, this has been the best coaching job of Saban’s career.
And to think it started with one of the most off-the-wall hires in recent memory.
When Saban brought in the radioactive Lane Kiffin to run his offense, it was met with a chorus of boos. Those who didn’t shout down the idea were simply too dumbfounded to have an opinion. It was "The Odd Couple," only with higher stakes.
But under the wing of Saban, Kiffin has resurrected his career. Suddenly mute and no longer strapped with the responsibilities of being a head coach, Kiffin has thrived, increasing Alabama’s average yards per game from 454 in 2013 to 489 this season. Center Ryan Kelly called him a “mastermind.” Sims, the same fifth-year senior who once played running back and receiver, is now just shy of 3,000 yards passing.
Oh, and did we mention Kiffin’s implementation of the hurry-up, no-huddle?
It wasn’t what Saban ever wanted football to be, but he’s surely embraced it this season. Without tempo and a more wide-open scheme, Alabama doesn’t score 55 points and beat Auburn on Saturday.
“I can't complain about it,” receiver DeAndrew White said. “It helps out a lot with the weapons we have on offense, not just running backs. We have great running backs and great receivers. We spread the ball around a lot to all the playmakers.”
That’s right, Alabama is more than a good offensive line and stellar running backs. With Saban’s prodding, the offense has shed the image of 3 yards and a cloud of dust. Amari Cooper, the team’s leading receiver, is a Heisman Trophy contender.
“You know, usually Bama is ... defense and run the ball, but now we can play a whole different type of game,” said safety Nick Perry of Alabama’s newfound ability to win shootouts. “We can put up points or we can [shut down on] defense, and I think that’s scary for the opposing team.”
Alabama has found so many different ways to win, it’s hard to keep track. Sometimes it’s been the defense (Arkansas, LSU), sometimes it’s been the offense (Mississippi State, Auburn) and sometimes it’s been both (Florida, Texas A&M, etc.).
When games have gotten tight, as they did against Arkansas, LSU and Mississippi State, Saban has pulled the right strings.
His defense, which looked so shaky in the opener against West Virginia, has come along nicely, ranking 11th nationally in yards per game. The same unit that lost six players to the NFL draft now ranks ninth in yards per play. And in doing so, it’s bucked a common trend under Saban: If you don't become an impact player in your first few years on campus, you probably never will.
Regardless of what preseason polls said, Alabama has no business being here today, ranked No. 1 the week of the SEC championship game, a stone’s throw away from the top seed in the College Football Playoff. All those votes cast in June and July were hinged on the arm of a transfer quarterback and a coach who had won four national championships since 2003.
One of those came through, and it wasn’t Jameis Winston's backup at Florida State.
Whether it was molding Blake Sims into a championship-caliber QB, shaping a young defense into one of the country’s best, or wading through the treacherous waters of the SEC West, this has been the best coaching job of Saban’s career.
And to think it started with one of the most off-the-wall hires in recent memory.
When Saban brought in the radioactive Lane Kiffin to run his offense, it was met with a chorus of boos. Those who didn’t shout down the idea were simply too dumbfounded to have an opinion. It was "The Odd Couple," only with higher stakes.
But under the wing of Saban, Kiffin has resurrected his career. Suddenly mute and no longer strapped with the responsibilities of being a head coach, Kiffin has thrived, increasing Alabama’s average yards per game from 454 in 2013 to 489 this season. Center Ryan Kelly called him a “mastermind.” Sims, the same fifth-year senior who once played running back and receiver, is now just shy of 3,000 yards passing.
Oh, and did we mention Kiffin’s implementation of the hurry-up, no-huddle?
It wasn’t what Saban ever wanted football to be, but he’s surely embraced it this season. Without tempo and a more wide-open scheme, Alabama doesn’t score 55 points and beat Auburn on Saturday.
“I can't complain about it,” receiver DeAndrew White said. “It helps out a lot with the weapons we have on offense, not just running backs. We have great running backs and great receivers. We spread the ball around a lot to all the playmakers.”
That’s right, Alabama is more than a good offensive line and stellar running backs. With Saban’s prodding, the offense has shed the image of 3 yards and a cloud of dust. Amari Cooper, the team’s leading receiver, is a Heisman Trophy contender.
“You know, usually Bama is ... defense and run the ball, but now we can play a whole different type of game,” said safety Nick Perry of Alabama’s newfound ability to win shootouts. “We can put up points or we can [shut down on] defense, and I think that’s scary for the opposing team.”
Alabama has found so many different ways to win, it’s hard to keep track. Sometimes it’s been the defense (Arkansas, LSU), sometimes it’s been the offense (Mississippi State, Auburn) and sometimes it’s been both (Florida, Texas A&M, etc.).
When games have gotten tight, as they did against Arkansas, LSU and Mississippi State, Saban has pulled the right strings.
His defense, which looked so shaky in the opener against West Virginia, has come along nicely, ranking 11th nationally in yards per game. The same unit that lost six players to the NFL draft now ranks ninth in yards per play. And in doing so, it’s bucked a common trend under Saban: If you don't become an impact player in your first few years on campus, you probably never will.
Instead, veterans Perry, Cyrus Jones, Reggie Ragland and Xzavier Dickson have
developed from backups into starters and key cogs in the defense. Jones, who
started his career as a receiver, has become the team's most consistent
cornerback.
Even the one criticism of Saban -- his defenses' inability to get to the QB -- has been quieted by Alabama’s 28 sacks this season, which is seven more than at this time last year.
All that from a defense and a team that was among the youngest in college football.
According to Phil Steele’s annual combined experience chart, Alabama ranked 107th out of 128 teams in a formula that breaks down the returning experience of every two-deep depth chart in college football.
So Saban changed things up. There’s been less of a business atmosphere around the team this season and more of a collegial vibe. The sideline has grown less serious, as you’ll see players dancing up and down during kickoffs and third downs. Energy has been at an all-time high.
Even Saban said this is one of the most enjoyable teams he’s ever coached.
If the Tide get by Missouri on Saturday and make it into the playoff, he’ll be even happier.
After losing on the road at Ole Miss in early October and then almost stumbling again at Arkansas a week later, Alabama has turned it around. In the process of beating a murderers' row of LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn, Saban has transformed his team into a title contender.
You can say that Alabama should be in the mix every season. You can say that because of its endless run of top-ranked recruiting classes, there’s no excuse not to win.
You can even say that Saban’s paycheck demands success.
But none of that should diminish what he’s accomplished with this team. After all, you're a good driver because you drive well, not because you have the fastest car.
With an inexperienced, sometimes inconsistent squad, led by a quarterback no one thought would win the job, Saban has worked miracles to get Alabama to within reach of another title. Given the degree of difficulty, this run might be his most impressive yet.
Even the one criticism of Saban -- his defenses' inability to get to the QB -- has been quieted by Alabama’s 28 sacks this season, which is seven more than at this time last year.
All that from a defense and a team that was among the youngest in college football.
According to Phil Steele’s annual combined experience chart, Alabama ranked 107th out of 128 teams in a formula that breaks down the returning experience of every two-deep depth chart in college football.
So Saban changed things up. There’s been less of a business atmosphere around the team this season and more of a collegial vibe. The sideline has grown less serious, as you’ll see players dancing up and down during kickoffs and third downs. Energy has been at an all-time high.
Even Saban said this is one of the most enjoyable teams he’s ever coached.
If the Tide get by Missouri on Saturday and make it into the playoff, he’ll be even happier.
After losing on the road at Ole Miss in early October and then almost stumbling again at Arkansas a week later, Alabama has turned it around. In the process of beating a murderers' row of LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn, Saban has transformed his team into a title contender.
You can say that Alabama should be in the mix every season. You can say that because of its endless run of top-ranked recruiting classes, there’s no excuse not to win.
You can even say that Saban’s paycheck demands success.
But none of that should diminish what he’s accomplished with this team. After all, you're a good driver because you drive well, not because you have the fastest car.
With an inexperienced, sometimes inconsistent squad, led by a quarterback no one thought would win the job, Saban has worked miracles to get Alabama to within reach of another title. Given the degree of difficulty, this run might be his most impressive yet.
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