Nick Saban
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban (born October 31, 1951) is the head coach of the University of Alabama
's Crimson Tide football team
. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League
's Miami Dolphins
and three other NCAA
universities: LSU
, Michigan State
and Toledo
. His eight-year contract for a total of US$32 million made him one of the highest paid football coaches, be it professional or college, in the United States at the time. He appeared on the September 1, 2008 cover of Forbes magazine as "The Most Powerful Coach in Sports". Saban's career record as a collegiate head coach is 145–54–1. [a]
Saban led LSU to the 2003 BCS National Championship, and Alabama to the 2009 BCS and AP National Championship, making him the second coach in college football history to win a national championship with two different FBS schools. Saban and Paul "Bear" Bryant
are the only coaches to win an SEC championship at two different schools.
, Syracuse
, West Virginia
, Ohio State
, Navy
and Michigan State
in NCAA Division I-A, and with the Houston Oilers and Cleveland Browns
in the National Football League
. Saban is considered part of the Bill Belichick
coaching tree
, having worked under him in Cleveland.
in 1990. Coming off of 6–5 seasons in both 1988 and 1989, the Rockets
found quick success under Nick Saban by going 9–2. The two games that the Rockets lost that season came by narrow margins: one point to Central Michigan
, and four points to Navy. With the 9–2 season, Toledo was co-champion of the Mid-American Conference
. Saban left Toledo after one season to become defensive coordinator
of the National Football League
's Cleveland Browns
under then head coach Bill Belichick
.
prior to the 1995 season, MSU had not had a winning season since 1990, and the team was sanctioned by the NCAA for recruiting violations committed under his predecessor and former mentor, George Perles
.
on December 25, 2004.
On November 27, 2006, The University of Alabama
announced that head coach Mike Shula
had been dismissed. Nick Saban was rumored to be at the top of Alabama's wish list, but Saban refused to discuss the job while his NFL season was still underway. During the month of December 2006, Saban was repeatedly questioned by the media about the Alabama job, and he repeatedly denied the rumors in his weekly press conferences, stating on December 21 "I'm not going to be the Alabama coach." Saban did eventually meet with Alabama officials on January 1, 2007, following the Dolphins' season ending loss to the Indianapolis Colts
.
The circumstances involved in his departure from the Dolphins earned him widespread criticism, particularly from former Dolphins tight end/radio broadcaster Jim Mandich
, who publicly expressed desire to fight Saban on the NFL Top 10
series.
's 27th head coach following a meeting with Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga
. On January 4, 2007, Nick Saban was officially introduced as the head football coach of The University of Alabama at a press conference on the Alabama campus. On September 1, 2007, his Crimson Tide opened the season with a 52–6 win over the Western Carolina Catamounts
, scoring more points than during any game in the 2006 season
. He became the fifth Alabama coach since 1900 to start his first season 3–0, earning a win over then-ranked #16 Arkansas Razorbacks
. Alabama ended the regular season with a 6–6 record, including a four-game losing streak, a particularly humiliating loss at home to Louisiana-Monroe, and a loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl, the Tide's sixth straight. The Tide defeated Colorado
in the 2007 Independence Bowl
, 30–24, to end the year 7–6. Alabama was later forced to vacate five wins from the 2007 season.
in the 2008 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff
in the Georgia Dome
. Three weeks later, Alabama had a convincing 49–14 road-win over Arkansas
. The Tide followed that victory with an impressive 41–30 win over the #3 ranked Georgia Bulldogs
. After the Georgia game, the Tide won consecutive home games against the Kentucky Wildcats and the Ole Miss Rebels and finished the month of October with a 29–9 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers
in Knoxville. Following a 35–0 homecoming victory over Arkansas State
, the Crimson Tide became #1 in all major polls
in Week 10—following a loss by #1 Texas to the Texas Tech Red Raiders
. It was the first time since the 1980 season
that Alabama held the top spot during the regular season. The Tide took their No. 1 ranking into Baton Rouge, Louisiana
, and came out with a 27–21 overtime victory. With the win, Alabama clinched their first SEC Western Division Championship since 1999
and guaranteed the team a trip to the 2008 SEC championship game
. The Tide then improved to 11–0 with a win at home over Mississippi State
. To finish the regular season, Bama defeated in-state rival Auburn
, 36–0, the largest margin of victory in the series
since 1962. It was Alabama's first victory over Auburn since the 2001 season
. In the SEC Championship Game
, Alabama suffered its first defeat in a 31–20 loss to the SEC Eastern Division Champion Florida Gators
(who later won the 2008 BCS Championship), and closed out the season with a 31–17 loss to Utah
in the Sugar Bowl
to finish the season at 12–2. For his efforts during the season, Saban received several Coach of the Year awards.
in the 2009 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff
, 34–24. He followed up with wins over Florida International
and North Texas
. The following week, Alabama won its conference opener over Arkansas
, 35–7. In its fifth game of the year, Alabama beat Kentucky
, 38–20. The sixth game of the season featured a hard-fought defensive battle with Bama defeating Ole Miss
, 22–3. The seventh game was the same with Alabama defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks
, 20–6. The next day, Alabama moved up to #1 in the AP
poll for the second straight year. The next week Alabama beat Tennessee
12–10 when Terrence Cody
blocked Tennessee's game winning field goal attempt with four seconds left, sealing the victory and improve the team to 8–0. After a bye week, Alabama clinched its second straight SEC West Division Championship by knocking off LSU
, 24–15. The next week, Alabama trounced Mississippi State
, 31–3, sealing the second straight season with 10 wins for Alabama. Following a 45–0 blowout of Chattanooga, on Black Friday
, Alabama came from behind to defeat Gene Chizik
's Auburn Tigers
, 26–21, marking the first time since 1973–1974 Alabama has finished the regular season undefeated in consecutive years and the first consecutive 12-win seasons. The Crimson Tide defeated the Florida Gators
for the SEC Championship
, 32–13, in a rematch of the previous year's championship game. It marked Alabama's 22nd SEC title and their first since 1999. Saban ended the season with a 37–21 victory over the Texas Longhorns in the National Championship
to finish a perfect 14–0. The win secured Saban's second national championship and Alabama's 13th title and their first in BCS era. Following the victory over the Longhorns, The University of Alabama announced that it would unveil a statue of Saban in the week prior to the kickoff of the 2010 season. On April 16, 2011, a life-sized bronzed statue of Saban was unveiled at the 2011 A-Day spring game making him the fifth coach to be immortalized outside the north end-zone of Bryant-Denny Stadium
.
, 48–3. The following week, the Tide defeated Joe Paterno
and the #23 Penn State
24–3 in their first meeting since 1990. The next week vs Duke, Mark Ingram
made his first start of the 2010 season leading Alabama to a 62–13 victory. The next week, Alabama overcame a 20–7 deficit to win their conference opener against #10 Arkansas
, 24–20. On October 2, Alabama defeated #7 Florida
31–6. The following week, Alabama lost to #19 South Carolina
35–21, snapping a 19-game win streak (29 in regular season). Alabama bounced back with a 23–10 win over Ole Miss
. They followed up with a 41–10 victory over Tennessee
. After their bye week, Alabama lost their second game of the season to #10 LSU
, 24–21. The following week, Alabama bounced back at home against #17 Mississippi State
, with a 30–10 victory. This also marked the school's 800th victory for the football program. The following week, Alabama defeated Georgia State
63–7, the most points for Alabama since 1979
. In the Iron Bowl
, Alabama lost to in-state rival #2 Auburn
28–27 snapping a 20-game home winning streak. Alabama led 24–0 early in the second quarter. This defeat was the largest lead ever blown by an Alabama football team. Alabama was selected to play in the 2011 Capital One Bowl
and in their first ever meeting, Alabama defeated #7 Michigan State
49–7 in the largest margin of victory in that bowl game. The win secured Alabama's third consecutive 10-win season.
48–7. The next week, Alabama traveled to Penn State for the first time since 1989 and defeated Joe Paterno
and #23 Nittany Lions
27–11. Alabama recorded its first shutout of the season by defeating North Texas
41-0. In the conference opener, Alabama defeated #12 Arkansas
38-14. The next week Alabama traveled to The Swamp
and defeated the 12th ranked Florida Gators
38-10. The following week on homecoming, Alabama shutout Vanderbilt
defeating them 34-0. Alabama then traveled to Oxford and defeated Ole Miss
52-7. In week 8, Alabama defeated their rival Tennessee
37-6 by scoring 31 unanswered points in the second half. After a bye week, Alabama played host to #1 LSU
losing in overtime 9-6. This was the first time in SEC
history that two conference teams ranked #1 and #2 in the polls played each other during the regular season. The loss at home, by Saban dropped his record to 2-3 against Les Miles
and his former employer LSU. Alabama rebounded the next week after struggling in the first half, with a win over Mississippi State
24-7. The next week, Alabama defeated FCS 3rd ranked Georgia Southern
45-21 on Senior Day. This win gave Saban his fourth consecutive 10-win season tying Bear Bryant from 1977-80. In the Iron Bowl
, Alabama defeated Auburn
42-14. This was Saban's third win over the Tigers in the last four years.
On September 24th, 2010, theWall Street Journal
published an article suggesting the University of Alabama
and its head coach, Nick Saban
, had encouraging some players to accept medical scholarships in order to make room for incoming scholarship freshmen.
Former Alabama linebacker Chuck Kirschman said "I'm still kind of bitter," and Coach Saban encouraged him to accept the scholarship because of a back problem that Kirschman believes he could have played through. Kirschman said the school offered in the summer of 2009 to pay for his graduate degree in business, an offer he accepted, and that he still gets some of the same perks as players. Kirschman completed his MBA in Finance.
Charles Hoke, a former Alabama offensive lineman, took a medical scholarship in 2008 because of a shoulder problem, said the choice was left entirely up to him and was based on the many conversations he had with the team's doctors and trainers over the course of his junior year.
Jeramie Griffin tore an anterior cruciate ligament
in his knee in August of 2009. He said, "I came back in the spring and I was OK." Griffin said that he was surprised football staff told him he had failed a physical. Griffin said, Saban asked him what he wanted to do besides playing football, and that Saban floated the possibility of a medical scholarship and asked if Griffin was interested in student coaching. Griffin said he doesn't contest the results of the physical and said it was "basically my decision" to forgo the rest of his playing career.
Doug Walker, the school's associate athletic director for media relations, said "Decisions about medical disqualifications for student-athletes are made by medical professionals and adhere to the parameters outlined by the NCAA…and the Southeastern Conference
."
On September 29th 2010 Coach Saban responded to questions about the Wall Street Journal Article, "We don't make the decision about medicals. I have nothing to do with that. Those are medical decisions made by our medical staff. I think we have one of the finest medical staffs in the country. I don't have any question about the fact every player we have given a medical to, it's been because of the medical opinion of the medical staff," Saban said. "Those guys should not continue to play football because it would put their future in tremendous risk. Those decisions are always made in the best interest of the player. Whether the player agrees with that or not, I can't control. I don't make the decision. They don't make the decision as players. That's why we have a medical staff."
On November 25, 2010, the Journal reported that several former Alabama players claim Saban and Alabama lied about their reasons for leaving the school. On August 5th, 2009, in a press conference Saban made a reference to four players Price Hall, Brandon Fanney, Alonzo Lawrence and Jermaine Preyear. "These guys all did something. It doesn't make them bad people.…These guys didn't do what they were supposed to do here, whether it was for academic reasons or whatever. They're not going to be part of the program." The players told The Wall Street Journal they committed no such violations and that Alabama and Saban had only claimed as much so as to protect the image of their program in the eyes of future recruits.
Prince Hall, a starter and All-American as freshman, had been suspended for the 3rd time during the Spring according to published reports, the last being categorized as indefinite. Brandon Fanney, a 14 game starter from the previous season, had been suspended for rules violations during the Spring.
Preyear, who decided to transfer six months after enrolling during the Spring, said he chose to leave over concerns about playing time. "I don't know any rules I could have broken."
Alonzo Lawrence reasons for transfer were unclear, but according to his high school coach his problems at Alabama "wasn't anything major," and tied it to things like being late to team meetings. Lawrence transferred to Southern Miss before moving on to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
, Saban and the University of Alabama again became the subjects of heavy media criticism after they again appeared to have oversigned. When asked about the appearance of being oversigned during his Signing Day press conference, Saban gave a 431-word response in which he denied being oversigned but refused to clarify the situation by explaining how many scholarship players departed the program after the 2010 season. Further raising questions about Saban and Alabama, Birmingham News journalist, Kevin Scarbinsky, revealed a few days after Saban's press conference that in numerous requests by the newspaper for the scholarship numbers of public universities in Alabama, the University of Alabama has been the only one to completely redact scholarship numbers for every sport in which it participates.
, West Virginia
. He is married to Terry Saban (née Constable) from West Virginia. They have two children, Nicholas and Kristen. He graduated from Kent State University
in Kent, Ohio
, where he played defensive back for the football team. Saban and a roommate avoided being amidst the infamous Kent State shootings
when they decided to eat lunch before walking to the rally area. Saban owns a vacation home on Lake Burton
in northeast Georgia
.
Nick Saban is of Croatian
origin. Bill Belichick
, with whom Nick Saban has excellent relations, said, when speaking about him and Saban: "Two successful Croats in the same division of NFL. You must admit, you don't see that every day." Saban made a cameo appearance as himself in the movie The Blind Side
. In August 2010, the movie "Nick Saban: Gamechanger" was released. Included in the film are interviews from Belichick and Alabama athletic director Mal Moore
, among others.
Saban is also the co-founder, along with his wife Terry, of the foundation Nick's Kids. This foundation has been used by the Sabans to help mentally-challenged children ever since Saban started head coaching. In the first three years at Alabama, Nick's Kids raised more than $1 million.
, Will Muschamp
, Mike Haywood and Derek Dooley. Bobby Williams
, current assistant coach at Alabama
took over at Michigan State
after Saban left for LSU. Another assistant from his time at Michigan State University, Mark Dantonio
, is currently MSU's Head Coach. Saban himself is directly situated in the Belichick coaching tree after operating as his Defensive Coordinator during Belichick's Cleveland tenure.
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
's Crimson Tide football team
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
. Saban has previously served as head coach of 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 Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and three other NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
universities: LSU
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
, Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
and Toledo
Toledo Rockets
The Toledo Rockets are the athletic teams that represent the University of Toledo. The Rockets are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play in the Mid-American Conference . The school's colors are midnight blue and gold.Toledo's...
. His eight-year contract for a total of US$32 million made him one of the highest paid football coaches, be it professional or college, in the United States at the time. He appeared on the September 1, 2008 cover of Forbes magazine as "The Most Powerful Coach in Sports". Saban's career record as a collegiate head coach is 145–54–1. [a]
Saban led LSU to the 2003 BCS National Championship, and Alabama to the 2009 BCS and AP National Championship, making him the second coach in college football history to win a national championship with two different FBS schools. Saban and Paul "Bear" Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
are the only coaches to win an SEC championship at two different schools.
Assistant football coach
Saban was an assistant coach at Kent StateKent State Golden Flashes
Kent State University's intercollegiate athletic teams are known as the Golden Flashes or simply as the Flashes. The university fields sixteen varsity athletic teams, all of whom play in the Mid-American Conference and in the NCAA's Division I...
, Syracuse
Syracuse Orange football
The Syracuse Orange football program is a college football team that represents Syracuse University. The team is a member of the Big East Conference, which is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I conference that is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision...
, West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
, Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, Navy
Navy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
and Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
in NCAA Division I-A, and with the Houston Oilers and 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...
in 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...
. Saban is considered part of the Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
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...
, having worked under him in Cleveland.
Toledo
Saban was hired to lead the Toledo RocketsUniversity of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
in 1990. Coming off of 6–5 seasons in both 1988 and 1989, the Rockets
Toledo Rockets
The Toledo Rockets are the athletic teams that represent the University of Toledo. The Rockets are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play in the Mid-American Conference . The school's colors are midnight blue and gold.Toledo's...
found quick success under Nick Saban by going 9–2. The two games that the Rockets lost that season came by narrow margins: one point to Central Michigan
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
, and four points to Navy. With the 9–2 season, Toledo was co-champion of the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
. Saban left Toledo after one season to become defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
of 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 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...
under then head coach Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
.
Michigan State
When Saban arrived in East Lansing, MichiganEast Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
prior to the 1995 season, MSU had not had a winning season since 1990, and the team was sanctioned by the NCAA for recruiting violations committed under his predecessor and former mentor, George Perles
George Perles
George J. Perles is a former American football player and coach. He was a defensive line coach, defensive coordinator, and assistant head coach for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972–1981 and the head coach at Michigan State University from 1983–1994...
.
- 1995–1997 – Beginning in 1995, Saban moderately improved MSU's fortunes, taking the Spartans to minor bowl games (all of which they lost by double-digit margins) in each of his first three seasons. From 1995 to 1997, Michigan State finished 6-5-1, 6-6, and 7-5. In comparison, MSU had finished 5–6, 6–6 and 5–6 (prior to NCAA forfeits) in 1992–1994.
- 1998 – On November 7, 1998, the Spartans upset the #1 ranked Ohio StateOhio State Buckeyes footballThe Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
28–24 at Ohio StadiumOhio StadiumOhio Stadium is the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team and is located on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The stadium was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service on March 22, 1974...
. However, even after the upset and an early-season rout of then-highly-ranked Notre Dame the Spartans finished 6–6, including three last-minute losses featuring turnovers, defensive lapses, and special-teams misplays, and failed to earn a bowl invitation.
- 1999 – Saban led the Spartans to a 9–2 season that included wins over Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting IrishNotre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
, MichiganMichigan Wolverines footballThe Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
, Ohio StateOhio State Buckeyes footballThe Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, and Penn StatePenn State Nittany Lions footballThe Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
. However, the two losses were routs at the hands of PurduePurdue Boilermakers footballThe Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
and WisconsinWisconsin Badgers footballThe Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
. Following the final regular-season game against Penn State, Saban abruptly resigned to accept the head coaching position with LSULSU Tigers footballThe LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
. Saban's assistant head coach and successor, Bobby WilliamsBobby Williams- External links :* at RollTide.com...
, then coached MSU to a Citrus Bowl victory over FloridaFlorida Gators footballThe Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
, giving the Spartans an overall record of 10–2 for the 1999 season. It would be the best season in terms of wins for the Spartans since 1965, and it would see the Spartans reach their highest ranking since the 1966 team. Future former NFL Head Coach Josh McDanielsJosh McDanielsJosh McDaniels is the former head coach of the Denver Broncos and currently the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. He previously served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots...
served as a Graduate Assistant on Saban's 1999 coaching staff.
LSU
In November 1999, LSU named Nick Saban their 31st head football coach.- 20002000 LSU Tigers football teamThe 2000 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2000–2001. Coached by Nick Saban in his first year at LSU, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Saban led the team to a remarkable turnaround from a...
– In 2000, the Tigers went 8–4 and won the Peach Bowl. The season was somewhat marred by several lopsided losses, including a 34–17 loss to the Auburn TigersAuburn Tigers footballOnly Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
, a 13–10 loss to the UAB BlazersUAB Blazers footballThe University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers college football team competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , as a member of the East Division of Conference USA . UAB plays its home games at Legion Field, which is located off-campus in Birmingham, Alabama...
, and a 41–9 loss to the Florida GatorsFlorida Gators footballThe Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
.
- 20012001 LSU Tigers football teamThe 2001 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2001–2002. Coached by Nick Saban, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU went 10–3 and won the SEC West and represented the division in the 2001...
– Saban led LSU to a 10–3 record, including an SEC Championship and a Sugar Bowl victory. After a loss to the Ole MissOle Miss Rebels footballThe football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs...
Rebels, the Tigers finished the year with six straight wins, including a win over #2 Tennessee in the 2001 SEC Championship Game, and a 47–34 win over Illinois in the 2002 Sugar Bowl2002 Sugar BowlThe 2002 Sugar Bowl a 2001–2002 BCS game was played on January 1, 2002. This 68th edition to the Sugar Bowl featured the Illinois Fighting Illini, and the LSU Tigers...
. It was the first outright SECSoutheastern ConferenceThe Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
championship for LSU since 1986, and the first time the Tigers had won the Sugar Bowl since 1968.
- 20022002 LSU Tigers football teamThe 2002 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2002–2003. Coached by Nick Saban, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The defending SEC champion Tigers started out strong, but an injury to...
– The season opened with high expectations, but a 26–8 loss at the hands of Virginia TechVirginia Tech Hokies footballThe Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
raised serious questions about their outlook. However, the Tigers would rebound to win their next six straight, but after a mid-season injury to quarterback Matt MauckMatt MauckMatthew Mauck is a former American football quarterback, formerly with the NFL's Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans, who is best known for leading the LSU Tigers to the 2003 BCS National Championship.-Minor League Baseball:...
, LSU lost four of their last six games to close the season, including a 35–20 loss to Texas in the Cotton Bowl Classic, and finished 8–5.
- 20032003 LSU Tigers football teamThe 2003 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2003–2004. Coached by Nick Saban, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After a bit of controversy, LSU won the BCS National Championship, the first...
– The Tigers started this season with five wins, including a 17–10 victory in Tiger StadiumTiger Stadium (LSU)Tiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is best known as the home stadium of the Louisiana State University football team.Tiger Stadium opened with a capacity of 12,000 in 1924...
over the defending SEC champion, and then undefeated, Georgia BulldogsGeorgia Bulldogs footballThe Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
. They lost the following week to FloridaFlorida Gators footballThe Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
, 19–7. After the loss to Florida, LSU did not lose again in the regular season and ended their regular season with a win over the Arkansas Razorbacks to win the SEC West. After winning the SEC West, the Tigers defeated the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. They were ranked #2 in the BCS standings and advanced to play the #1 Oklahoma SoonersOklahoma Sooners footballThe Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in the Sugar BowlSugar BowlThe Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
, which was the host of the BCS Championship Game in 2003. The Tigers won the game 21–14. By virtue of winning this game, LSU finished first in the USA Today Coaches Poll and became national champions for only the second time in school history, and for the first time since Paul DietzelPaul DietzelPaul Dietzel is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at Louisiana State University , the United States Military Academy , and the University of South Carolina , compiling a career record of 109–95–5...
and Billy CannonBilly CannonWilliam Abb "Billy" Cannon is an All-American, 1959 Heisman Trophy winner and 2008 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, and one of the American Football League's most celebrated players.He was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and moved...
led the Tigers to the 1958 National Championship1958 LSU Tigers football teamThe 1958 LSU Tigers segregated football team represented Louisiana State University during the 1958 college football season. Under head coach Paul Dietzel, the Tigers cruised to an undefeated season capped by a win over Clemson in the Sugar Bowl...
.
- 20042004 LSU Tigers football teamThe 2004 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2004–2005. Coached by Nick Saban in his last season at LSU, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The team finished with a 9–3 record and an...
– LSU finished the season 9–3, after losing to the Iowa HawkeyesIowa Hawkeyes footballThe Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in the Capital One BowlCapital One BowlThe Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
30–25 on a final play touchdown pass. Other losses that season were on the road at Auburn 10-9, and a loss on the road to Georgia 45-16. At the end of the 2004 season2004 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss...
, Saban left LSU to coach the Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Miami Dolphins
Nick Saban accepted the job of head coach for the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on December 25, 2004.
- 20052005 Miami Dolphins season-Schedule:-References:...
– The season and the Nick Saban era officially kicked off with a 34–10 win against the Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe 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...
. From there, however, the Dolphins struggled, losing seven of their next nine games to fall to 3–7. The two wins came over the Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
and the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, a game that took place in Tiger StadiumTiger Stadium (LSU)Tiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is best known as the home stadium of the Louisiana State University football team.Tiger Stadium opened with a capacity of 12,000 in 1924...
due to Hurricane KatrinaHurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. After a frustrating two months, however, the Dolphins would rally late in the season, as they won their final six games, including a win to end the season in Foxboro, Massachusetts over the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe 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...
. The team finished the year 9–7, and narrowly missed the playoffs in Saban's first season.
- 20062006 Miami Dolphins seasonThe 2006 Miami Dolphins season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. Instead, they finished the season 6–10 after being hyped by some to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, and saw their coach Nick Saban abandon his contract to coach college football for the Alabama...
– Going into the 2006 season, the Dolphins were expected to contend for a playoff spot. The season, however, turned out to be a major disappointment. Quarterback Daunte CulpepperDaunte CulpepperDaunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...
never recovered from his devastating knee injury from the previous season,and was ultimately benched after the fourth game of the season, when the Dolphins lost to the Houston TexansHouston TexansThe Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Culpepper was eventually put on Injured ReserveInjured reserveThe injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. After starting the season 1–6, however, the Dolphins got hot. They won four straight games, including wins over the Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who were then unbeaten, and the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. Suddenly, the Dolphins were back in the playoff hunt at 5–6, but a 24–10 loss the following week to the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville JaguarsThe Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
all but ended their playoff hopes. The Dolphins would rebound the following week with a 21–0 win over the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe 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...
. The win would be the last bright spot for the Dolphins in the 2006 season. Quarterback Joey HarringtonJoey HarringtonJohn Joseph "Joey" Harrington, Jr. is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions third overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, where he played for most of his professional career. He ranks third all-time in Detroit history in pass completions, with 986...
was eventually benched in favor of third-string quarterback Cleo LemonCleo LemonCleo "Cleonardo" Lemon, Jr. is a Canadian football quarterback in the Canadian Football League who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
. While the defense was very good, the offense was anemic, with the only bright spot being Ronnie BrownRonnie BrownRonnie G. Brown, Jr. is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . After graduating from Cartersville High School in Georgia, Brown attended Auburn University to play college football for the Auburn Tigers...
, who gained over 1,000 rushing yards on the season. The Dolphins would lose their next two games to the Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe 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...
and the New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
to fall to 6–10 on the season. This was Saban's first losing season as a head coach.
On November 27, 2006, The University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
announced that head coach Mike Shula
Mike Shula
Mike Shula is an American football quarterback coach for the Carolina Panthers, an NFL team. Between 2003 and 2006, he was the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program.- Early life :...
had been dismissed. Nick Saban was rumored to be at the top of Alabama's wish list, but Saban refused to discuss the job while his NFL season was still underway. During the month of December 2006, Saban was repeatedly questioned by the media about the Alabama job, and he repeatedly denied the rumors in his weekly press conferences, stating on December 21 "I'm not going to be the Alabama coach." Saban did eventually meet with Alabama officials on January 1, 2007, following the Dolphins' season ending loss to the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
.
The circumstances involved in his departure from the Dolphins earned him widespread criticism, particularly from former Dolphins tight end/radio broadcaster Jim Mandich
Jim Mandich
James Michael "Mad Dog" Mandich was a professional American football tight end with the Miami Dolphins. Mandich was an All-American at the University of Michigan. In 2004 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. As color commentator for the Miami Dolphins , he was teamed with Jimmy...
, who publicly expressed desire to fight Saban on the NFL Top 10
NFL Top 10
NFL Top 10 is a documentary program produced by NFL Films for airing on the NFL Network. The host and narrator is Derrin Horton.The program counts down 10 items directly related to the players, coaches, and events of the National Football League, with former players, NFL Network personalities, and...
series.
Alabama
2007
Saban, announced on January 3, 2007, that he accepted an offer to become AlabamaAlabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
's 27th head coach following a meeting with Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga
Wayne Huizenga
Harry Wayne Huizenga is an American businessman who grew Blockbuster Video, Waste Management, Inc., and AutoNation into successful companies. He is the former owner of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins, the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers and the Major League Baseball's Miami...
. On January 4, 2007, Nick Saban was officially introduced as the head football coach of The University of Alabama at a press conference on the Alabama campus. On September 1, 2007, his Crimson Tide opened the season with a 52–6 win over the Western Carolina Catamounts
Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University is a coeducational public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States. The university is a constituent campus of the University of North Carolina system....
, scoring more points than during any game in the 2006 season
2006 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2006 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama for the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season trying to improve from a 10–2 record in the 2005 season. The Tide was led by head coach Mike Shula entering his fourth year at Alabama. Despite a strong 5–2 start, they...
. He became the fifth Alabama coach since 1900 to start his first season 3–0, earning a win over then-ranked #16 Arkansas Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. Alabama ended the regular season with a 6–6 record, including a four-game losing streak, a particularly humiliating loss at home to Louisiana-Monroe, and a loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl, the Tide's sixth straight. The Tide defeated Colorado
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
in the 2007 Independence Bowl
2007 Independence Bowl
The 2007 PetroSun Independence Bowl, part of the 2007–08 NCAA football bowl season, took place on December 30, 2007 at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference, and the Colorado Buffaloes, from...
, 30–24, to end the year 7–6. Alabama was later forced to vacate five wins from the 2007 season.
2008
During his second year as head coach of the Tide, Saban led his team from a sub-par season in 2007 to a perfect 12–0 regular season record. Saban finished the regular season undefeated for the first time in his career as a head coach as he led the Crimson Tide to its first undefeated regular season since 1994. His second season at the Capstone began with a 34–10 victory over the #9 ranked Clemson Tigers2008 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2008 Clemson football team represented Clemson University in the 2008 college football season. The Tigers were led by oft-maligned head coach Tommy Bowden, who resigned six games into his tenth season. The interim head coach was assistant coach Dabo Swinney...
in the 2008 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff
2008 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff
The 2008 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff took place on August 30, 2008, in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. This was the first game of the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff series. The game featured the No. 9 Clemson Tigers and the No. 24 Alabama Crimson Tide....
in the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
. Three weeks later, Alabama had a convincing 49–14 road-win over Arkansas
2008 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
The 2008 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2008 football season. The Razorbacks played five home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas and one home game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas...
. The Tide followed that victory with an impressive 41–30 win over the #3 ranked Georgia Bulldogs
2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2008 Georgia Bulldogs football team competed in American football on behalf of the University of Georgia in 2008. The Bulldogs competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference . This was the Georgia Bulldogs' eighth season under the guidance of head coach Mark Richt...
. After the Georgia game, the Tide won consecutive home games against the Kentucky Wildcats and the Ole Miss Rebels and finished the month of October with a 29–9 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers
2008 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2008 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team was coached by head football coach Phillip Fulmer, in his 16th and final season as head coach. The Vols played their home games in Neyland Stadium and competed...
in Knoxville. Following a 35–0 homecoming victory over Arkansas State
2008 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team
The 2008 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team represents Arkansas State University in the 2008 college football season. The Red Wolves played five home games at ASU Stadium in Jonesboro, Arkansas, including Southern Miss, Middle Tennessee, and Florida Atlantic. The Red Wolves had a difficult...
, the Crimson Tide became #1 in all major polls
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings
Three human polls and one formulaic ranking make up the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a National Championship title. That title is bestowed by one or...
in Week 10—following a loss by #1 Texas to the Texas Tech Red Raiders
2008 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team
The 2008 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University in the college football season of 2008/09. The team was coached by Mike Leach. The Red Raiders played their home games at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. The football team competed in the Division I Football Bowl...
. It was the first time since the 1980 season
1980 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Georgia take its first national title since World War II.The Georgia Bulldogs starred freshman running back Herschel Walker, who made his NCAA debut against Tennessee. Down 15-2 at halftime, Georgia sent in Walker, the third string running back at the...
that Alabama held the top spot during the regular season. The Tide took their No. 1 ranking into Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, and came out with a 27–21 overtime victory. With the win, Alabama clinched their first SEC Western Division Championship since 1999
1999 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 1999 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1999 college football season. The team was led by head coach Mike DuBose, who was in his third season with the program...
and guaranteed the team a trip to the 2008 SEC championship game
SEC Championship Game
The SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
. The Tide then improved to 11–0 with a win at home over Mississippi State
2008 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team
The 2008 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University during the 2008 college football season. The team's head coach was Sylvester Croom. The Bulldogs played their six home games in 2008 at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi...
. To finish the regular season, Bama defeated in-state rival Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
, 36–0, the largest margin of victory in the series
Iron Bowl
The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports...
since 1962. It was Alabama's first victory over Auburn since the 2001 season
2001 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2001 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama during 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. They began their season trying to improve upon a 3–8 record during the 2000 season. This was the team's 69th season in the SEC. This marked Dennis Franchiones first ...
. In the SEC Championship Game
SEC Championship Game
The SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
, Alabama suffered its first defeat in a 31–20 loss to the SEC Eastern Division Champion Florida Gators
2008 Florida Gators football team
The 2008 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2008 college football season...
(who later won the 2008 BCS Championship), and closed out the season with a 31–17 loss to Utah
2008 Utah Utes football team
The 2008 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team, coached by 4th year head football coach Kyle Whittingham, plays its home games in Rice–Eccles Stadium...
in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
to finish the season at 12–2. For his efforts during the season, Saban received several Coach of the Year awards.
2009
Beginning Saban's third year, #5 Alabama defeated the #7 ranked Virginia Tech Hokies2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer...
in the 2009 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff
2009 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff
The 2009 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff featured the Virginia Tech Hokies, of the ACC, and the Alabama Crimson Tide, of the SEC, on September 5, 2009. The game took place in Atlanta, Georgia at the Georgia Dome. In the 2008 edition, Alabama defeated the Clemson Tigers 34–10. It was Virginia Tech's...
, 34–24. He followed up with wins over Florida International
2009 FIU Golden Panthers football team
The 2009 FIU Golden Panthers football team represented Florida International University during their 5th season of NCAA Division I FBS football and their 8th season overall. The team was coached by Mario Cristobal and played their homes games at the on-campus FIU Stadium...
and North Texas
2009 North Texas Mean Green football team
The 2009 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas in the 2009 college football season. The 2009 season was the team's third under Head Coach Todd Dodge. The Mean Green played their home games on campus at Fouts Field in Denton, Texas. North Texas finished the...
. The following week, Alabama won its conference opener over Arkansas
2009 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
The 2009 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2009 football season. The Razorbacks played five home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas and two home games at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas. Head coach...
, 35–7. In its fifth game of the year, Alabama beat Kentucky
2009 Kentucky Wildcats football team
The 2009 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Rich Brooks, in his seventh and ultimately final season at Kentucky, and played its home games at Commonwealth Stadium. The Wildcats competed...
, 38–20. The sixth game of the season featured a hard-fought defensive battle with Bama defeating Ole Miss
2009 Ole Miss Rebels football team
The 2009 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi during the 2009 college football season. The team was led by Houston Nutt, who was in his second season as the Rebels' head coach...
, 22–3. The seventh game was the same with Alabama defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks
2009 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2009 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team's head football coach was Steve Spurrier, who was in his fifth season at USC. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams-Brice Stadium in...
, 20–6. The next day, Alabama moved up to #1 in the AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
poll for the second straight year. The next week Alabama beat Tennessee
2009 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2009 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2009 college football season. The team was coached by Lane Kiffin. The 2009 season would be his 1st and only at Tennessee – leaving to take the head coaching job at the University of Southern Cal on January...
12–10 when Terrence Cody
Terrence Cody
Terrence Bernard Cody, Jr. is an American football nose tackle for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was selected by the Ravens in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of the University of Alabama, where he was given the nickname "Mount Cody" for his gargantuan,...
blocked Tennessee's game winning field goal attempt with four seconds left, sealing the victory and improve the team to 8–0. After a bye week, Alabama clinched its second straight SEC West Division Championship by knocking off LSU
2009 LSU Tigers football team
The 2009 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team's head coach was Les Miles who served his fifth year at the helm of LSU football. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
, 24–15. The next week, Alabama trounced Mississippi State
2009 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team
The 2009 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University during the 2009 college football season. Mississippi State has been a member of the Southeastern Conference since the league's inception in 1932, and has participated in that conference's Western Division...
, 31–3, sealing the second straight season with 10 wins for Alabama. Following a 45–0 blowout of Chattanooga, on Black Friday
Black Friday (shopping)
Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. On this day, most major retailers open extremely early, often at 4 a.m., or earlier, and offer promotional sales to kick off the shopping season, similar to Boxing...
, Alabama came from behind to defeat Gene Chizik
Gene Chizik
Eugene "Gene" Chizik is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of the Auburn University football team, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Chizik's 2010 Auburn Tigers football team completed a 14–0 season with a victory over Oregon in the BCS...
's Auburn Tigers
2009 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2009 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by first year head coach Gene Chizik...
, 26–21, marking the first time since 1973–1974 Alabama has finished the regular season undefeated in consecutive years and the first consecutive 12-win seasons. The Crimson Tide defeated the Florida Gators
2009 Florida Gators football team
The 2009 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2009 college football season...
for the SEC Championship
2009 SEC Championship Game
The 2009 SEC Championship Game was played on December 5, 2009, in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to determine the 2009 football champion of the Southeastern Conference . The game featured the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide was the designated "home team"; this...
, 32–13, in a rematch of the previous year's championship game. It marked Alabama's 22nd SEC title and their first since 1999. Saban ended the season with a 37–21 victory over the Texas Longhorns in the National Championship
2010 BCS National Championship Game
The 2010 Citi BCS National Championship Game was the finale of the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and was played between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. It was hosted by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California,...
to finish a perfect 14–0. The win secured Saban's second national championship and Alabama's 13th title and their first in BCS era. Following the victory over the Longhorns, The University of Alabama announced that it would unveil a statue of Saban in the week prior to the kickoff of the 2010 season. On April 16, 2011, a life-sized bronzed statue of Saban was unveiled at the 2011 A-Day spring game making him the fifth coach to be immortalized outside the north end-zone of Bryant-Denny Stadium
Bryant-Denny Stadium
Bryant–Denny Stadium, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is the home stadium for the University of Alabama football team. The stadium opened in 1929, and was originally named Denny Stadium, in honor of former Alabama president George Hutchenson Denny...
.
2010
At the start of his fourth season, Alabama was overwhelmingly chosen as the preseason #1 team in both the AP and Coaches Poll. This is the first time since 1978 that the Crimson Tide have started the season ranked #1. In the season opener in front a record crowd of 101,821, Alabama defeated San Jose State2010 San Jose State Spartans football team
The 2010 San Jose State Spartans football team represented San Jose State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Spartans were led by first year head coach Mike MacIntyre. They played their home games at Spartan Stadium and are members of the Western Athletic Conference...
, 48–3. The following week, the Tide defeated Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
and the #23 Penn State
2010 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2010 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. They were members of the Big Ten Conference...
24–3 in their first meeting since 1990. The next week vs Duke, Mark Ingram
Mark Ingram, Jr.
Mark Ingram, Jr. is a running back for the New Orleans Saints. Ingram is the son of former NFL wide receiver Mark Ingram, Sr....
made his first start of the 2010 season leading Alabama to a 62–13 victory. The next week, Alabama overcame a 20–7 deficit to win their conference opener against #10 Arkansas
2010 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
The 2010 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2010 football season. The team played five home games at Razorback Stadium and two home games at War Memorial Stadium. Coach Bobby Petrino was in his third year with the Razorbacks. They were members of the...
, 24–20. On October 2, Alabama defeated #7 Florida
2010 Florida Gators football team
The 2010 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2010 college football season...
31–6. The following week, Alabama lost to #19 South Carolina
2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2010 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head football coach was Steve Spurrier, who was in his sixth season at USC...
35–21, snapping a 19-game win streak (29 in regular season). Alabama bounced back with a 23–10 win over Ole Miss
2010 Ole Miss Rebels football team
The 2010 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi during the 2010 college football season. The team was coached by Houston Nutt, who was in his third season as the Rebels' head coach...
. They followed up with a 41–10 victory over Tennessee
2010 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2010 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2010 college football season. The team was coached by Derek Dooley who is in his first season as the 22nd coach in UT football history. The Vols played their home games at Neyland Stadium and competed in the...
. After their bye week, Alabama lost their second game of the season to #10 LSU
2010 LSU Tigers football team
The 2010 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Les Miles in his 6th season. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium and were members of the Southeastern Conference in the Western...
, 24–21. The following week, Alabama bounced back at home against #17 Mississippi State
2010 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team
The 2010 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University during the 2010 college football season. Mississippi State has been a member of the Southeastern Conference since the league's inception in 1932, and has participated in that conference's Western Division...
, with a 30–10 victory. This also marked the school's 800th victory for the football program. The following week, Alabama defeated Georgia State
Georgia State Panthers football
The Georgia State Panthers football team represents Georgia State University in the NCAA Division I FCS, competing as an independent, but slated to join the Colonial Athletic Association beginning in 2012. Georgia State plays its home games at the Georgia Dome, which is located off-campus in...
63–7, the most points for Alabama since 1979
1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
In 1979 the Alabama Crimson Tide capped off a decade of remarkable success with the seventh perfect season in program history, after 1925, 1930, 1934, 1945, 1961, and 1966 . The Tide defense recorded five shutouts and allowed only two teams to score in double digits...
. In the Iron Bowl
Iron Bowl
The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports...
, Alabama lost to in-state rival #2 Auburn
2010 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2010 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2010–2011 college football season. The Tigers, led by second year head coach Gene Chizik were members of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference and played their home games at Jordan-Hare Stadium...
28–27 snapping a 20-game home winning streak. Alabama led 24–0 early in the second quarter. This defeat was the largest lead ever blown by an Alabama football team. Alabama was selected to play in the 2011 Capital One Bowl
2011 Capital One Bowl
The 2011 Capital One Bowl was the sixty-fifth edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The game was played on January 1, 2011 and matched the Alabama Crimson Tide from the Southeastern Conference with the Michigan State Spartans from the Big...
and in their first ever meeting, Alabama defeated #7 Michigan State
2010 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2010 Michigan State Spartans football team competed on behalf of Michigan State University in the Big Ten Conference during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Head coach Mark Dantonio was in his fourth season with the Spartans...
49–7 in the largest margin of victory in that bowl game. The win secured Alabama's third consecutive 10-win season.
2011
At the start of his fifth season, Alabama came into the season ranked #2 in the country. In the first game of the season, Alabama defeated Saban's alma mater Kent State2011 Kent State Golden Flashes football team
The 2011 Kent State Golden Flashes football team represents Kent State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Golden Flashes will be led by first year head coach Darrell Hazell and will play their home games at Dix Stadium. They are a member of the East Division of the...
48–7. The next week, Alabama traveled to Penn State for the first time since 1989 and defeated Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
and #23 Nittany Lions
2011 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2011 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represent the Pennsylvania State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno for the first nine games until he was fired in the wake of the Penn State sex abuse scandal, with defensive coordinator...
27–11. Alabama recorded its first shutout of the season by defeating North Texas
2011 North Texas Mean Green football team
The 2011 North Texas Mean Green football team represents the University of North Texas in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mean Green will be led by first year head coach Dan McCarney and will its their home games at the brand new Apogee Stadium. The team is a member of the Sun...
41-0. In the conference opener, Alabama defeated #12 Arkansas
2011 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
The 2011 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represents the University of Arkansas in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Razorbacks will be led by fourth year head coach Bobby Petrino and will play five home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and two at War Memorial Stadium...
38-14. The next week Alabama traveled to The Swamp
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field is the football stadium for the University of Florida and the home field of the university's Florida Gators football team. It is located on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. The stadium was originally built in 1930, and has been regularly...
and defeated the 12th ranked Florida Gators
2011 Florida Gators football team
The 2011 Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2011 college football season...
38-10. The following week on homecoming, Alabama shutout Vanderbilt
2011 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
The 2011 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represents Vanderbilt University during the 2011 college football season. The team's head coach is James Franklin , who is in his first year at Vanderbilt; he was previously the Offensive Coordinator and Head Coach in Waiting at the University of...
defeating them 34-0. Alabama then traveled to Oxford and defeated Ole Miss
2011 Ole Miss Rebels football team
The 2011 Ole Miss Rebels football team will represent the University of Mississippi in the college football season of 2011–2012. The team is coached by Houston Nutt, who is entering his fourth season with Ole Miss...
52-7. In week 8, Alabama defeated their rival Tennessee
2011 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2011 Tennessee Volunteers football team will represent the University of Tennessee in the college football season of 2011–2012. The team is coached by Derek Dooley, who is entering his second season with Tennessee...
37-6 by scoring 31 unanswered points in the second half. After a bye week, Alabama played host to #1 LSU
2011 LSU Tigers football team
The 2011 LSU Tigers football team represents Louisiana State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers are led by seventh year head coach Les Miles and play their home games at Tiger Stadium...
losing in overtime 9-6. This was the first time in SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
history that two conference teams ranked #1 and #2 in the polls played each other during the regular season. The loss at home, by Saban dropped his record to 2-3 against Les Miles
Les Miles
Leslie Edwin "Les" Miles, nicknamed "The Mad Hatter", is an American college football coach and the current head coach of the Louisiana State University football team. Prior to holding that position, he was head coach at Oklahoma State...
and his former employer LSU. Alabama rebounded the next week after struggling in the first half, with a win over Mississippi State
2011 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team
The 2011 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team will represent Mississippi State University in the college football season of 2011–2012. The team is coached by Dan Mullen, who is entering his third season with Mississippi State...
24-7. The next week, Alabama defeated FCS 3rd ranked Georgia Southern
2011 Georgia Southern Eagles football team
The 2011 Georgia Southern Eagles team represents Georgia Southern University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Eagles will be led by second year head coach Jeff Monken and will play their home games at Paulson Stadium. They are a member of the Southern...
45-21 on Senior Day. This win gave Saban his fourth consecutive 10-win season tying Bear Bryant from 1977-80. In the Iron Bowl
Iron Bowl
The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports...
, Alabama defeated Auburn
2011 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2011 Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in the college football season of 2011–2012. The team is coached by Gene Chizik, who is entering his third season with Auburn. The Tigers play its home games at Jordan–Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, and competes in the Western...
42-14. This was Saban's third win over the Tigers in the last four years.
WSJ medical scholarship concerns
On September 24th, 2010, theWall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
published an article suggesting the University of Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
and its head coach, Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
, had encouraging some players to accept medical scholarships in order to make room for incoming scholarship freshmen.
Former Alabama linebacker Chuck Kirschman said "I'm still kind of bitter," and Coach Saban encouraged him to accept the scholarship because of a back problem that Kirschman believes he could have played through. Kirschman said the school offered in the summer of 2009 to pay for his graduate degree in business, an offer he accepted, and that he still gets some of the same perks as players. Kirschman completed his MBA in Finance.
Charles Hoke, a former Alabama offensive lineman, took a medical scholarship in 2008 because of a shoulder problem, said the choice was left entirely up to him and was based on the many conversations he had with the team's doctors and trainers over the course of his junior year.
Jeramie Griffin tore an anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
in his knee in August of 2009. He said, "I came back in the spring and I was OK." Griffin said that he was surprised football staff told him he had failed a physical. Griffin said, Saban asked him what he wanted to do besides playing football, and that Saban floated the possibility of a medical scholarship and asked if Griffin was interested in student coaching. Griffin said he doesn't contest the results of the physical and said it was "basically my decision" to forgo the rest of his playing career.
Doug Walker, the school's associate athletic director for media relations, said "Decisions about medical disqualifications for student-athletes are made by medical professionals and adhere to the parameters outlined by the NCAA…and the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
."
On September 29th 2010 Coach Saban responded to questions about the Wall Street Journal Article, "We don't make the decision about medicals. I have nothing to do with that. Those are medical decisions made by our medical staff. I think we have one of the finest medical staffs in the country. I don't have any question about the fact every player we have given a medical to, it's been because of the medical opinion of the medical staff," Saban said. "Those guys should not continue to play football because it would put their future in tremendous risk. Those decisions are always made in the best interest of the player. Whether the player agrees with that or not, I can't control. I don't make the decision. They don't make the decision as players. That's why we have a medical staff."
WSJ transfer concerns
On November 25, 2010, the Journal reported that several former Alabama players claim Saban and Alabama lied about their reasons for leaving the school. On August 5th, 2009, in a press conference Saban made a reference to four players Price Hall, Brandon Fanney, Alonzo Lawrence and Jermaine Preyear. "These guys all did something. It doesn't make them bad people.…These guys didn't do what they were supposed to do here, whether it was for academic reasons or whatever. They're not going to be part of the program." The players told The Wall Street Journal they committed no such violations and that Alabama and Saban had only claimed as much so as to protect the image of their program in the eyes of future recruits.
Prince Hall, a starter and All-American as freshman, had been suspended for the 3rd time during the Spring according to published reports, the last being categorized as indefinite. Brandon Fanney, a 14 game starter from the previous season, had been suspended for rules violations during the Spring.
Preyear, who decided to transfer six months after enrolling during the Spring, said he chose to leave over concerns about playing time. "I don't know any rules I could have broken."
Alonzo Lawrence reasons for transfer were unclear, but according to his high school coach his problems at Alabama "wasn't anything major," and tied it to things like being late to team meetings. Lawrence transferred to Southern Miss before moving on to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
2011
In early 2011, after National Signing DayNational Signing Day
National Signing Day most commonly refers to a day in February, usually on the first Wednesday of that month, which is the first day that a high school senior can sign a binding National Letter of Intent for college football with a school that is a member of the NCAA, the main governing body for...
, Saban and the University of Alabama again became the subjects of heavy media criticism after they again appeared to have oversigned. When asked about the appearance of being oversigned during his Signing Day press conference, Saban gave a 431-word response in which he denied being oversigned but refused to clarify the situation by explaining how many scholarship players departed the program after the 2010 season. Further raising questions about Saban and Alabama, Birmingham News journalist, Kevin Scarbinsky, revealed a few days after Saban's press conference that in numerous requests by the newspaper for the scholarship numbers of public universities in Alabama, the University of Alabama has been the only one to completely redact scholarship numbers for every sport in which it participates.
Personal life
Nick Saban was born in CarolinaCarolina, West Virginia
Carolina is an unincorporated census-designated place in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. Carolina is north-northwest of Worthington. Carolina has a post office with ZIP code 26563. As of the 2010 census, its population was 411....
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. He is married to Terry Saban (née Constable) from West Virginia. They have two children, Nicholas and Kristen. He graduated from Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
in Kent, Ohio
Kent, Ohio
Kent is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the largest city in Portage County. It is located along the Cuyahoga River in Northeastern Ohio on the western edge of the county. The population was 27,906 at the 2000 United States Census and 28,904 in the 2010 Census...
, where he played defensive back for the football team. Saban and a roommate avoided being amidst the infamous Kent State shootings
Kent State shootings
The Kent State shootings—also known as the May 4 massacre or the Kent State massacre—occurred at Kent State University in the city of Kent, Ohio, and involved the shooting of unarmed college students by members of the Ohio National Guard on Monday, May 4, 1970...
when they decided to eat lunch before walking to the rally area. Saban owns a vacation home on Lake Burton
Lake Burton (Georgia)
Lake Burton is a 2,775 acre reservoir with 62 miles of shoreline located in the northeastern corner of Georgia in Rabun County. It is the first lake in a six-lake series called the Tallulah River Watershed that follows the original course of the Tallulah River...
in northeast Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Nick Saban is of Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
origin. Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
, with whom Nick Saban has excellent relations, said, when speaking about him and Saban: "Two successful Croats in the same division of NFL. You must admit, you don't see that every day." Saban made a cameo appearance as himself in the movie The Blind Side
The Blind Side (film)
The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical drama film. It is written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The storyline features Michael Oher, an offensive lineman who plays for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL...
. In August 2010, the movie "Nick Saban: Gamechanger" was released. Included in the film are interviews from Belichick and Alabama athletic director Mal Moore
Mal Moore
Mal M. Moore is the current Director of Athletics for the University of Alabama. On November 23, 1999, he was hired to his current position after spending almost thirty years in other areas with the university...
, among others.
Saban is also the co-founder, along with his wife Terry, of the foundation Nick's Kids. This foundation has been used by the Sabans to help mentally-challenged children ever since Saban started head coaching. In the first three years at Alabama, Nick's Kids raised more than $1 million.
Coaching tree
Over the years, former assistant coaches under Saban have gone on to take head coaching position at FBS schools. Most notably from Saban's LSU tenure are Jimbo FisherJimbo Fisher
John James "Jimbo" Fisher is an American college football coach and former player. He is currently head coach at Florida State University....
, Will Muschamp
Will Muschamp
William Larry "Will" Muschamp is an American college football coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Florida Gators football team of the University of Florida. He is a native of Georgia and attended the University of Georgia, where he played for the Georgia Bulldogs...
, Mike Haywood and Derek Dooley. Bobby Williams
Bobby Williams
- External links :* at RollTide.com...
, current assistant coach at Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
took over at Michigan State
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
after Saban left for LSU. Another assistant from his time at Michigan State University, Mark Dantonio
Mark Dantonio
Mark Dantonio is the current head football coach at Michigan State University. He was hired on November 27, 2006 and became the 24th head coach at Michigan State. He is credited for winning the 2010 Big Ten Championship and his 4 game win streak over arch-rival Michigan...
, is currently MSU's Head Coach. Saban himself is directly situated in the Belichick coaching tree after operating as his Defensive Coordinator during Belichick's Cleveland tenure.
College
* Saban resigned before bowl game.NFL
| Team | |Regular Season | MIA Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
2005 2005 NFL season The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006... |
9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2nd in AFC East | - | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIA Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
2006 2006 NFL season The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006... |
6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 4th in AFC East | - | - | - | - | ||
| MIA Total | 15 | 17 | 0 | .469 | - | - | - | |||||
| Total | 15 | 17 | 0 | .469 | ||||||||
External links
- Nick Saban profile at RollTide.com
- CoachSaban.net