Lou Saban
Encyclopedia
Louis Henry Saban was an American football
player and coach. Saban played for Indiana University in college and as a pro for the Cleveland Browns
of the All-America Football Conference
. He was the head coach of the Boston Patriots
(1960–1961), Buffalo Bills
(1962–1965, 1972–1976), and Denver Broncos
(1967–1971) of the American Football League
and later the National Football League
's American Football Conference
, compiling a career AFL/NFL record of 95–99–7. At the time of his death, Saban was the last survivor of the eight coaches of the Original Eight
American Football League franchises, the others being Eddie Erdelatz
, Frank Filchock
, Buster Ramsey
, Lou Rymkus
, Sammy Baugh
, and Hall of Fame coaches Hank Stram
and Sid Gillman
. Saban was also the head coach at a number of colleges: Case Institute of Technology
(1950–1952), Northwestern University
(1955), Western Illinois University
(1957–1959), the University of Maryland, College Park
(1966), the University of Miami
(1977–1978), the United States Military Academy
(1979), the University of Central Florida
(1983–1984), Peru State College
(1991), the State University of New York at Canton
(1995–2000), and Chowan University
(2001–2002), tallying a career college football
mark of 94–99–4.
at Indiana University where he was named All-Big Ten
as a quarterback
one year and All-Big Ten as a fullback
in another. A 10th round selection in the 1944 NFL Draft
, he began his pro career with the Cleveland Browns
of the All-America Football Conference
(AAFC). He was the team captain as the Browns dominated the AAFC in all four years of the league's existence. Saban was twice voted to the league's All-Star team as a linebacker
.
, before becoming an assistant coach at Northwestern University
in 1954. In 1955, Saban was named as the head coach at Northwestern. Two years later, he moved on to Western Illinois University
, where he would remain as head coach until he entered the professional football ranks to guide the Boston Patriots of the newly formed American Football League
(AFL). In his last season at Western Illinois, his 1959 team had an undefeated 9–0 record.
enjoyed an era of glory. The driving force behind it was Lou Saban, whose style of coaching won him the respect, love, and loyalty of his players. "Trader Lou" came to the Buffalo Bills as head coach in 1962, from the Patriots. He set to work building the Bills into a formidable defensive team, with a strong offense as well. His record at Buffalo during the AFL years was 36–17–3, with winning seasons in each of his four years.
In 1964 and 1965, the Bills went 12–2 and 10–3–1, en route to consecutive AFL championships. Saban was the only man ever to accomplish that feat, and the only one to coach his team into the post-season three straight years (1963–1965). His volatile style nevertheless endeared him to his players. He is shown in a famous clip bemoning to an assistant coach: "They're killin' me out there, Whitey, they're killin' me!" He once suspended Cookie Gilchrist
for taking himself out of a game in which Gilchrist claimed the Bills were "passing too much", but Cookie's teammates pleaded with Saban until he reinstated the big fullback. In the 1965 AFL championship game against the San Diego Chargers
, when offensive linemen Billy Shaw and Dave Behrman were injured, Saban inserted veteran Ernie Warlick
opposite rookie Paul Costa
in a double tight end
formation, which helped the Bills win the game.
Saban was named Coach of the Year twice, but one week after winning his second title, he quit to become head coach at the University of Maryland
, and then the Denver Broncos
. He returned to the Buffalo Bills (by then in the NFL) from 1972 through 1976, and was credited with coaching Bills running back O. J. Simpson
to his full potential.
from 1977 to 1978, and is credited with helping lay the foundation for the Hurricanes' future success, in particular recruiting quarterback Jim Kelly
to the university. However, despite a winning record in 1978, Saban departed Miami amid controversy. That April, three freshmen Miami players taunted and then attacked a twenty-two-year-old Jewish man wearing a yarmulke who was walking to religious services on campus. They threw the man, who worked at a campus gathering place for UM's Jewish community, into Lake Osceola at the center of campus. When Saban returned to campus a few days later, he was unaware the man was Jewish and reportedly said "Getting thrown in the lake? Sounds like fun to me." Miami's Jewish community complained, and despite numerous apologies, Saban could not stem the protests and Saban offered to resign mid-season. At the request of Athletic Director John Green, Saban remained through the end of the season, and he left to coach at Army
.
After coaching at Army, Saban worked for his former assistant coach, George Steinbrenner
as President of the New York Yankees
in 1981–1982.
Saban spent the 1983 and 1984 seasons as the head coach at the University of Central Florida
(UCF), which was a Division II school at the time. He took over a team that had gone 0–10 in 1982 and led the Knights to a 5–6 record in 1983. He was replaced by his assistant, Jerry Anderson, midway through the 1984 season with UCF's record standing at 1–6.
Saban retired in 1985 to Hendersonville, North Carolina
. However, he came out of retirement to coach high school football and spent the 1989 season as head coach of the Georgetown High School Bulldogs in Georgetown, South Carolina
. Though only winning one game, he was credited with ending a 21 game losing streak, improving the overall operations of the athletic staff and gaining attention for his players, several of whom ended up with college scholarships. In 1990, Saban coached four games for the Middle Georgia Heat Wave, a semipro team in Macon, Georgia
, before leaving the job in a manner that the team said was "not a firing" and Saban said was "not a resignation." He then spent a year as head coach at Nebraska's Peru State College
in 1991, compiling a 7–4 record. In 1994, Saban coached the expansion Milwaukee Mustangs of the Arena Football League but was fired after only four games. After that, he helped to start the Alfred State College
football program, though he never coached a game there. Saban then served as the first head coach at SUNY Canton
from 1995 until retiring in 2000. His record at this two-year college was 34–16. He retired to coastal South Carolina, but shortly thereafter returned to coaching in 2001–2002 as head coach at Chowan University
in Murfreesboro, North Carolina
, compiling a 2–13 record. He is a member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.
Marty Schottenheimer
, who played for Saban from 1965 to 1968 with the AFL's Bills, was greatly influenced by Saban's coaching philosophy. Schottenheimer and other coaches influenced by Saban are considered to be in Lou Saban's
coaching tree
. They include:
in the 1980s, as a personal favor to his close friend, George Steinbrenner
.
at 4 am EST
on March 29, 2009.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. Saban played for Indiana University in college and as a pro for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the All-America Football Conference
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
. He was the head coach of the Boston Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
(1960–1961), Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1962–1965, 1972–1976), and Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1967–1971) of the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
and later the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's American Football Conference
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
, compiling a career AFL/NFL record of 95–99–7. At the time of his death, Saban was the last survivor of the eight coaches of the Original Eight
Foolish Club
The Foolish Club was the self-imposed name taken by the owners of the eight original franchises of the American Football League . When Texas millionaires Lamar Hunt and Bud Adams, Jr. were refused entry to the established NFL in 1959, they contacted other businessmen to form an eight-team...
American Football League franchises, the others being Eddie Erdelatz
Eddie Erdelatz
Eddie Erdelatz was an American collegiate and Professional Football player and coach who was the head football coach of the U.S. Naval Academy for nine years, as well as holding the distinction of being the first head coach of the American Football League's Oakland Raiders.Erdelatz's mother died...
, Frank Filchock
Frank Filchock
Frank Joseph Filchock was an American and Canadian football tailback/quarterback and coach. As a consequence of a famous scandal regarding the 1946 NFL Championship game, he was suspended by the National Football League from 1947 to 1950 for associating with gamblers.-Early career:Born in 1916 in...
, Buster Ramsey
Buster Ramsey
Garrard Sliger "Buster" Ramsey was an American football player who starred at William and Mary and was the first head coach of the American Football League's Buffalo Bills in 1960...
, Lou Rymkus
Lou Rymkus
Louis Joseph Rymkus was a football player and coach in the National Football League who was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 and also served as the first head coach of the American Football League's Houston Oilers for 1960, winning the league's first championship, but being...
, Sammy Baugh
Sammy Baugh
Samuel Adrian "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Horned Frogs at Texas Christian University, where he was a two-time All-American. He then played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 1952...
, and Hall of Fame coaches Hank Stram
Hank Stram
Henry Louis "Hank" Stram was an American football coach. He is best known for his 15-year tenure with the American Football League's Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs and the Chiefs of the NFL. Stram won three AFL Championships and Super Bowl IV with the Chiefs...
and Sid Gillman
Sid Gillman
Sidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football player, coach, executive, and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in...
. Saban was also the head coach at a number of colleges: Case Institute of Technology
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
(1950–1952), Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
(1955), Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
(1957–1959), the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
(1966), the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
(1977–1978), the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
(1979), the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
(1983–1984), Peru State College
Peru State College
Peru State College is a public four-year institution located in the rural city of Peru, Nebraska, in the Midwest region of the United States. Founded by members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1865, making it the first and oldest institution in Nebraska, it would undergo several name changes...
(1991), the State University of New York at Canton
State University of New York at Canton
The State University of New York at Canton , is a public, coeducational, residential college located on a spacious campus along the banks of the Grasse River in St. Lawrence County, New York within the Town of Canton. Its northern location places SUNY Canton close to the Adirondack Mountains, the St...
(1995–2000), and Chowan University
Chowan University
- Other Notable Former Students :* Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, confessed architect of the September 11 attacks.- External links :* *...
(2001–2002), tallying a career college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
mark of 94–99–4.
Playing career
Saban played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Indiana University where he was named All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
one year and All-Big Ten as a fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
in another. A 10th round selection in the 1944 NFL Draft
1944 NFL Draft
The 1944 National Football League Draft was held on April 19, 1944.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:-Round eleven:...
, he began his pro career with the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the All-America Football Conference
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
(AAFC). He was the team captain as the Browns dominated the AAFC in all four years of the league's existence. Saban was twice voted to the league's All-Star team as a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
.
College coaching
He went on to be the head coach at Case Institute, where he compiled a 10–14–1 record from 1950–1952. He then was an assistant coach at the University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, before becoming an assistant coach at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1954. In 1955, Saban was named as the head coach at Northwestern. Two years later, he moved on to Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
, where he would remain as head coach until he entered the professional football ranks to guide the Boston Patriots of the newly formed American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
(AFL). In his last season at Western Illinois, his 1959 team had an undefeated 9–0 record.
Professional coaching
In the early 1960s the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
enjoyed an era of glory. The driving force behind it was Lou Saban, whose style of coaching won him the respect, love, and loyalty of his players. "Trader Lou" came to the Buffalo Bills as head coach in 1962, from the Patriots. He set to work building the Bills into a formidable defensive team, with a strong offense as well. His record at Buffalo during the AFL years was 36–17–3, with winning seasons in each of his four years.
In 1964 and 1965, the Bills went 12–2 and 10–3–1, en route to consecutive AFL championships. Saban was the only man ever to accomplish that feat, and the only one to coach his team into the post-season three straight years (1963–1965). His volatile style nevertheless endeared him to his players. He is shown in a famous clip bemoning to an assistant coach: "They're killin' me out there, Whitey, they're killin' me!" He once suspended Cookie Gilchrist
Cookie Gilchrist
Carlton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist was a gridiron football player in the American Football League and Canadian Football League.-Career:...
for taking himself out of a game in which Gilchrist claimed the Bills were "passing too much", but Cookie's teammates pleaded with Saban until he reinstated the big fullback. In the 1965 AFL championship game against the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, when offensive linemen Billy Shaw and Dave Behrman were injured, Saban inserted veteran Ernie Warlick
Ernie Warlick
Ernest "Ernie" "Big Hoss" Warlick is a former tight end from North Carolina Central University who played American collegiate and Professional Football as well as Canadian Professional Football...
opposite rookie Paul Costa
Paul Costa
-See also:*Other American Football League players...
in a double tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
formation, which helped the Bills win the game.
Saban was named Coach of the Year twice, but one week after winning his second title, he quit to become head coach at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, and then the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He returned to the Buffalo Bills (by then in the NFL) from 1972 through 1976, and was credited with coaching Bills running back O. J. Simpson
O. J. Simpson
Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...
to his full potential.
Return to college ranks
Saban served as head coach at the University of MiamiUniversity of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
from 1977 to 1978, and is credited with helping lay the foundation for the Hurricanes' future success, in particular recruiting quarterback Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
to the university. However, despite a winning record in 1978, Saban departed Miami amid controversy. That April, three freshmen Miami players taunted and then attacked a twenty-two-year-old Jewish man wearing a yarmulke who was walking to religious services on campus. They threw the man, who worked at a campus gathering place for UM's Jewish community, into Lake Osceola at the center of campus. When Saban returned to campus a few days later, he was unaware the man was Jewish and reportedly said "Getting thrown in the lake? Sounds like fun to me." Miami's Jewish community complained, and despite numerous apologies, Saban could not stem the protests and Saban offered to resign mid-season. At the request of Athletic Director John Green, Saban remained through the end of the season, and he left to coach at Army
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
.
After coaching at Army, Saban worked for his former assistant coach, George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
as President of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in 1981–1982.
Saban spent the 1983 and 1984 seasons as the head coach at the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
(UCF), which was a Division II school at the time. He took over a team that had gone 0–10 in 1982 and led the Knights to a 5–6 record in 1983. He was replaced by his assistant, Jerry Anderson, midway through the 1984 season with UCF's record standing at 1–6.
Saban retired in 1985 to Hendersonville, North Carolina
Hendersonville, North Carolina
Hendersonville is a city in Henderson County, North Carolina, USA, southeast of Asheville. In 1900, 1,917 persons lived in Hendersonville; in 1910, 2,818; and in 1940, 5,381 people lived here. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,223, up fivefold in one century. It is the county...
. However, he came out of retirement to coach high school football and spent the 1989 season as head coach of the Georgetown High School Bulldogs in Georgetown, South Carolina
Georgetown, South Carolina
Georgetown is the third oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and the county seat of Georgetown County, in the Low Country. Located on Winyah Bay at the confluence of the Great Pee Dee River, Waccamaw River, and Sampit River, Georgetown is the second largest seaport in South Carolina,...
. Though only winning one game, he was credited with ending a 21 game losing streak, improving the overall operations of the athletic staff and gaining attention for his players, several of whom ended up with college scholarships. In 1990, Saban coached four games for the Middle Georgia Heat Wave, a semipro team in Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
, before leaving the job in a manner that the team said was "not a firing" and Saban said was "not a resignation." He then spent a year as head coach at Nebraska's Peru State College
Peru State College
Peru State College is a public four-year institution located in the rural city of Peru, Nebraska, in the Midwest region of the United States. Founded by members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1865, making it the first and oldest institution in Nebraska, it would undergo several name changes...
in 1991, compiling a 7–4 record. In 1994, Saban coached the expansion Milwaukee Mustangs of the Arena Football League but was fired after only four games. After that, he helped to start the Alfred State College
Alfred State College
Alfred State College is a State University of New York College of Technology located in Alfred, New York in Allegany County. This college, formerly the Agricultural and Technical College at Alfred, now grants baccalaureate degrees in 18 areas, associate degrees in nearly 60 areas, as well as a...
football program, though he never coached a game there. Saban then served as the first head coach at SUNY Canton
State University of New York at Canton
The State University of New York at Canton , is a public, coeducational, residential college located on a spacious campus along the banks of the Grasse River in St. Lawrence County, New York within the Town of Canton. Its northern location places SUNY Canton close to the Adirondack Mountains, the St...
from 1995 until retiring in 2000. His record at this two-year college was 34–16. He retired to coastal South Carolina, but shortly thereafter returned to coaching in 2001–2002 as head coach at Chowan University
Chowan University
- Other Notable Former Students :* Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, confessed architect of the September 11 attacks.- External links :* *...
in Murfreesboro, North Carolina
Murfreesboro, North Carolina
Murfreesboro is a town in Hertford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,045 at the 2000 census. Murfreesboro is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region.-Geography:Murfreesboro is located at ....
, compiling a 2–13 record. He is a member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.
Legacy
Including his stops at both two- and four-year schools, Saban's overall collegiate coaching record was 94–99–4. Including playoffs, his professional football record stands at 97–101–7.Marty Schottenheimer
Marty Schottenheimer
Martin Edward "Marty" Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. Over his career, he has served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. He has the most wins of any NFL coach...
, who played for Saban from 1965 to 1968 with the AFL's Bills, was greatly influenced by Saban's coaching philosophy. Schottenheimer and other coaches influenced by Saban are considered to be in Lou Saban's
coaching tree
Coaching tree
A coaching tree is similar to a family tree except it shows the relationships of coaches instead of family members. There are several different ways to define a relationship between two coaches...
. They include:
- Marty SchottenheimerMarty SchottenheimerMartin Edward "Marty" Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. Over his career, he has served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. He has the most wins of any NFL coach...
- Joe CollierJoe CollierJoel D. Collier is a former American football coach. He was head coach of the American Football League's Buffalo Bills from 1966 through part of 1968, compiiling a 13–16–1 record....
- Cam CameronCam Cameron-External links:...
- Bill CowherBill CowherWilliam Laird "Bill" Cowher is a former American football coach and player. Cowher resigned after 15 seasons as the Steelers' coach on January 5, 2007, 11 months to the day after winning 2005–06's Super Bowl XL...
- Herm Edwards
- Tony DungyTony DungyAnthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
- Marvin LewisMarvin LewisMarvin Ronald Lewis is the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League, a position he has held since January 14, 2003...
- Ken WhisenhuntKen WhisenhuntKenneth "Ken" Moore Whisenhunt is the current head coach of the Arizona Cardinals NFL football team, leading them to the first Super Bowl in franchise history during the 2008 season...
- Lovie SmithLovie SmithLovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
- Rod MarinelliRod MarinelliRodney Marinelli is the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Chicago Bears. He is the former head coach of the Detroit Lions...
- Mike TomlinMike TomlinMichael Tomlin is the current head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Tomlin is the third youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports. He is the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history, and first in Steelers history...
- Sam RutiglianoSam RutiglianoSam Rutigliano is a former National Football League head coach.Rutigliano, the son of Italian immigrants, played high school football at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn. He played college football at Tennessee and Tulsa. He coached at the high school level in New York...
Professional football coaching tree
Numbers indicate Super Bowls won by Saban's "descendants", a total of three.Baseball
Saban served a brief stint as President of the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the 1980s, as a personal favor to his close friend, George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
.
Later years and death
In his later years, Saban experienced heart problems and a fall in his home that required hospitalization. Saban died at his home in North Myrtle Beach, South CarolinaNorth Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
North Myrtle Beach is a coastal resort city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. It was created in 1968 from four existing municipalities north of Myrtle Beach, and serves as one of the primary tourist towns along the Grand Strand...
at 4 am EST
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
on March 29, 2009.
College
*Fired after 7 gamesAFL/NFL
| Team | |Regular Season | BOS 1960 Boston Patriots season The Boston Patriots finished the inaugural American Football League's 1960 season with a record of five wins and nine losses, and thus were last place in the AFL's Eastern Division... |
1960 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 35.8 | 4th in AFL East Division | - | - | - | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOS 1961 Boston Patriots season The Boston Patriots finished the American Football League's 1961 season with a record of nine wins and four losses and one tie, and placed second in the AFL's Eastern division.-Staff:-Season summary:... |
1961 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
| 40.0 | fired after game 5 | - | - | - | ||||||||
| BUF 1962 Buffalo Bills season The 1962 Buffalo Bills season was the team’s third season. During the offseason, the Bills hired Lou Saban as their new head coach. The Bills finished the season with a 7–6–1 record, good for third place in the AFL East.-AFL Draft:-Season schedule:... |
1962 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 53.8 | 3rd in AFL East Division | - | - | - | |||
| BUF 1963 Buffalo Bills season The 1963 Buffalo Bills season was the team’s fourth season in the American Football League.-Season schedule:-Postseason:-Season standings:-Roster:-References:**... |
1963 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 53.8 | 1st-T in AFL East Division | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | Lost to Boston Patriots in AFL division playoff | ||
| BUF 1964 Buffalo Bills season Buffalo Bills 20, San Diego Chargers 7-References:**... |
1964 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 85.7 | 1st in AFL East Division | 1 | 0 | 1.00 | Beat to San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... in AFL championship game |
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| BUF 1965 Buffalo Bills season Buffalo Bills 23, San Diego Chargers 0Scoring*BUF – Warlick 18 pass from Kemp *BUF – Byrd 74 punt return *BUF – Field goal Gogolak 11*BUF – Field goal Gogolak 39*BUF – Field goal Gogolak 32-AFL All-Star Game:... |
1965 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 76.9 | 1st in AFL East Division | 1 | 0 | 1.00 | Beat San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... in AFL championship game |
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| DEN 1967 Denver Broncos season The 1967 Denver Broncos season was the eighth season for the team in the American Football League. The team posted a record of three wins and eleven losses. They finished last in the AFL's Western division. Floyd Little was team captain in his rookie season.... |
1967 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 21.4 | 4th in AFL West Division | - | - | - | |||
| DEN 1968 Denver Broncos season The 1968 Denver Broncos season was the ninth season for the team in the American Football League. The Broncos improved their record from the previous season by posting a record of five wins and nine losses. They finished fourth in the AFL's Western division for the sixth straight season. There were... |
1968 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 35.7 | 4th in AFL West Division | - | - | - | |||
| DEN 1969 Denver Broncos season The 1969 season was the Denver Broncos 10th and final season in the American Football League. They finished the regular season with a record of 5–8–1, and went 4th in the AFL West for the seventh straight season.-Division standings: -Regular season:-Roster:... |
1969 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 38.1 | 4th in AFL West Division | - | - | - | |||
| AFL Total | 56 | 57 | 4 | 49.6 | 2 | 1 | 66.7 | 2 AFL titles, 2 AFL division championships | ||||
| DEN 1970 Denver Broncos season The 1970 Denver Broncos season was the team's 11th season in professional football and first in the NFL after the merger. The Broncos duplicated their record from the previous season with five wins, eight losses, and one tie. They placed last in the new AFC West. Floyd Little became the first... |
1970 1970 NFL season The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new... |
5 | 8 | 1 | 38.1 | 4th in NFL AFC West | - | - | - | |||
| DEN 1971 Denver Broncos season The 1971 Denver Broncos season was the teams 12th season in professional football and 2nd in the NFL. The team finished the season with four wins, nine losses, and one tie. They once again finished fourth in the AFC West. Floyd Little became the 13th player ever in professional football to rush for... |
1971 1971 NFL season The 1971 NFL season was the 52nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl VI when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins... |
2 | 6 | 1 | 27.8 | fired after game 9 | - | - | - | |||
| BUF 1972 Buffalo Bills season The 1972 Buffalo Bills season was the 13th season for the club and its 3rd in the National Football League. It was also their last season at War Memorial Stadium which has been their home field since 1960.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:- Standings :... |
1972 1972 NFL season The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.-Major rule changes:... |
4 | 9 | 1 | 30.8 | 4th in NFL AFC East | - | - | - | |||
| BUF 1973 Buffalo Bills season The 1973 Buffalo Bills season was the 14th season for the team and their 4th season in the National Football League . The season was defined by O.J. Simpson becoming the first player in NFL history to rush for 2000 yards in a season... |
1973 1973 NFL season The 1973 NFL season was the 54th regular season of the National Football League. The season featured O.J. Simpson becoming the first man to rush for 2,000 yards in one season... |
9 | 5 | 0 | 64.3 | 2nd in NFL AFC East | - | - | - | |||
| BUF 1974 Buffalo Bills season The 1974 Buffalo Bills season was the 15th season for the club in pro football and fifth in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:- Standings :-Playoffs:-External Links:**-References:* * *... |
1974 1974 NFL season The 1974 NFL season was the 55th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl IX when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings... |
9 | 5 | 0 | 64.3 | 2nd in NFL AFC East, AFC Wild Card | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | Lost to Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... in AFC division playoff |
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| BUF 1975 Buffalo Bills season The 1975 Buffalo Bills season was the 16th season for the club in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:- Standings :-References:* * *... |
1975 1975 NFL season The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:... |
8 | 6 | 0 | 57.1 | 3rd in NFL AFC East | - | - | - | |||
| BUF 1976 Buffalo Bills season The 1976 Buffalo Bills season was the 17th season for the club and its 7th in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Awards and honors:... |
1976 1976 NFL season The 1976 NFL season was the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers... |
2 | 3 | 0 | 40.0 | fired after game 5 | - | - | - | |||
| NFL Total | 39 | 42 | 3 | 48.2 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | |||||
| Professional Total | 95 | 99 | 7 | 49.0 | 2 | 2 | 50.0 | 2 AFL titles, 2 AFL division championships | ||||