Alabama, LSU have what everyone else wants: great coach
Nick Saban and Les Miles again find themselves the centers of attention. (AP photo)
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Nick Saban turned 60 on Halloween, and his players – tempting fate and possibly their scholarships — turned off the lights in a meeting room and yelled, “Surprise!” when their coach walked in. As it turned out, even in the week of the Alabama-LSU game, the little curmudgeon showed a humorous side.
After acknowledging, “It’s hard to think about birthdays,” Saban referenced the No. 60 jersey that was presented to him and cracked, “I wasn’t thinking about age. I was thinking I’m a skill player. There’s no way I can sport this 60. I’ve got to have a lower-than-50 number of some sort.”
Might as well give Saban and Les Miles jersey Nos. 1 and 2. They coach the two best teams in the nation. They’re probably the two best coaches.
Maybe we think of them differently: Saban as cold, evil, I-hate-him-I-hate-him-can-I-get-him-on-my-team brilliant. Miles as goofy, grass-eating, Mega-Millions-lottery-lucky brilliant. But they give Alabama and LSU the things every other college football program wants: identity, direction, championships.
They are the reason the SEC looks down on every other conference. Saban and Miles (and, before his career timeout, Urban Meyer) are why so many other coaches wonder about job stability.
Because if Saban and Miles hadn’t set the bar so high, other fans bases wouldn’t scream, “Why can’t you win like them?”
We have waited two weeks for Alabama vs. LSU. It’s like a Super Bowl, only without the Hollywood-on-steroids halftime show, and a trophy when it’s over.
This game won’t decide a championship, but it will set the GPS. Saturday’s winner at Bryant-Denny Stadium will win the SEC West. The winner of the SEC West almost certainly will win the SEC title. The winner of the SEC will be an overwhelming favorite to win it all.
The loser from Saturday will be somewhere else come bowl time. That’s about the only downside of this. The two best teams should not be deciding this much on Nov. 5. But barring an unforeseen series of losses by other teams, and an unforeseen series of votes in human polls to somehow make a rematch happen, this is as good as it’s going to get.
Regardless, this game is why no other conference has an argument about superiority. We can talk about how the SEC is down this season (and it is). We can point out that schools from the Big 12 and the Pac-12 (numbers subject to change) and even Boise State have legitimate chances to win the BCS title.
But only the SEC — in a down year — can give us a No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the first week of November and lead some to wonder, “Why can’t they play again in January?”
Saban and Miles don’t win championships every season. But they make everybody believe they’re going to contend for them. They are why so many other coaches, particularly in the SEC, wonder about their own job stability. If these two didn’t set the bar so high, other fan bases wouldn’t scream, “Why can’t you win like them?”
Players for these coaches know how to win conference games, road games and games with national ramifications. You never expect either to crack. Imagine what that feels like.
“I want the players to enjoy the glare and the light of the big stage,” Miles said earlier this week. “I want them to enjoy the opportunity to play for a big victory. Once I’ve prepared the team and after I feel I’ve done a quality job, I want the players to play with freedom.”
It’s easy to get lost in the numbers this week. Alabama has won eight games by an average score of 39-7. LSU 39-11.
Alabama’s defense has allowed 359 yards rushing all season. That’s 44.8 per game and 1.7 per carry.
LSU has trailed has for only 6 minutes, 33 seconds all season (6-3 against Oregon in Week 1. The Tigers went on a 30-7 run and won 40-27.)
It’s two teams and everybody else in the SEC, and the nation, and it’s not hard to figure out why. Look at the sideline.
By Jeff Schultz
• Earlier: Weekend Predictions: Guaranteed winners (I’m serious this time)
Follow me on Twitter (@JeffSchultzAJC). Friend me on Facebook (Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC).
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
165 comments Add your comment
SCAR GO!
November 4th, 2011
4:56 pm
Nothin’ cooks low & slow like a Big ole Pig!
Better to Dope than Grope
November 4th, 2011
4:56 pm
But Zach now says its better to Grope than Dope!
G-Crunk
November 4th, 2011
4:56 pm
Nice proofreading!
Loyal Dawg
November 4th, 2011
5:00 pm
SCAR GO!, I can’t believe I’m having to pull for Arkansas and Coach BP to beat you guys this weekend. It’s like french kissing your grandma.
Jeff
November 4th, 2011
5:03 pm
Loyal Dawg…I would rather pull for the pigs and their coach than to have to pull for Floriduh next week.
Charles
November 4th, 2011
5:04 pm
Meh, Miles is a fine coach, but certainly nothing extraordinary. Richt is 2-1 against him and Les’ one win came on a flukey call against AJ Green. Saban’s a great coach, Miles is about like most of the other very good ones.
Loyal Dawg
November 4th, 2011
5:05 pm
Jeff, you right… but I still don’t have to like it.
SCAR GO!
November 4th, 2011
5:05 pm
Gotta go. Nice talkin’ to ya!
Best of luck w/ New Mexico. (not that you’ll need it)
Troy
November 4th, 2011
5:08 pm
Funny jeff’s comments……Maybe he should ask Bobby Stoops at OU what happens when you say any team cant be beat…and the winner of this game is automatic to the NC…..and oh, yeah- what do we have to do to get GREATsportswriters?
Troy
November 4th, 2011
5:10 pm
Wonder if the Floridud Gaytors can manage to beat Spurrier…….
ARdawg
November 4th, 2011
5:11 pm
jeff
No guy, it wasn’t a “rule” per se’ in 2007 and it isn’t now. After 2006 they did change the BCS point system so that if a team didn’t win their conference, they wouldn’t score high enough to play. But, that’s different.
ARdawg
November 4th, 2011
5:12 pm
I am going to Fayettenam and pulling for the Hawgs. Cause I can.
Scholarship
November 4th, 2011
5:14 pm
For those select few UGA fans who think that bashing two programs that have STAYED in the top 10 for the last 5 years. Your arugment is lost and would have more ground if your statements did not ring of jeolousy and childish ( take my ball home) attitude. The two programs that Mr. Schultz wrote about should be the model that Mark Richt and Greg McGartiy should visit and immulate. We all know the past 5 years at UGA have led to some very embarrassing moments to anyone who calls the State of Georgia Home. That is not to say LSU and Alabama have not had poor moments, they both have. But just in case no one pointed it out, three of The LSU players were suspended and it was handled internally and comments were limited, while a freshman running back at Alabama was popped for possession of Marijuana and it was news one day and the respect that Miles and Saban command from local and national media ended all talk with this one statement: “We are handling it internally and it will not be discussed again”.
Good luck to your dawgs against NMS and we both hope we can meet you in the dome so the trash talking can be settled and until next year the members of all three schools that want to trash talk without facts will have to eat those poorly written words until they meet again on the field.
Blackoutanyone?
November 4th, 2011
5:38 pm
27-6 BAMA
Alphare
November 4th, 2011
5:39 pm
War Dang Dawg,
“to think that a South Carolina or Georgia team that finished 7-1 in the conference wouldn’t be a threat in that game hasn’t watched too much SEC football.”
You should not include UGA in there. Dawgs haven’t beaten a ranked team for how many centuries? not to mentioned a no. 1 ranked team.
George
November 4th, 2011
5:52 pm
It not all COACH. Got to have PLAYERS.
Collapse of Hawks’ sale is just one more Spirit nightmare | Jeff Schultz
November 4th, 2011
5:54 pm
[...] • Earlier: Alabama-LSU have what everybody else wants — a great coach [...]
Muffican Jam
November 4th, 2011
6:20 pm
I wouldn’t say Saban is overrated. Can he go to the pros and get their respect? That answer is obviously no. But, to a kid that is trying to get to the Sunday games, they will listen to him and what he’s got to say. But the pros don’t have time for his style or Spurrier’s style or Lou Holtz’s style or the other ones that thought they could coach in the pros. Head Coaches at the D1 level that win consistenly surround themselves with great coaches. Then they keep them. Beamer at Va. Tech has kept many of his assistants through the years. There was a time when you wouldn’t want to play a FSU but then Bowden fell off when all his staff started leaving. Head coaches are basically figure heads and raise money for their respective programs and keep talent in the pipeline. It’s just that simple. In the grand scheme of things coaches are high priced gym teachers. Also, Saban and Miles do an excellent job of keeping the talent at home. Look how deep LSU is at RB, DE etc. Heck, their starting QB hasn’t even really played that much and they are still no 1 in the country. Then you look at the second tier teams in the SEC like Ole Miss, Miss State, UGa and you see they are thin at the skill spots. UGa really has no excuse. They have the facilities, financial resources and they have enough homegrown talent to be in national conversations when it comes to football.
JSS
November 4th, 2011
6:39 pm
Jeff Schultz
November 4th, 2011
3:01 pm
“JSS — “College football is all about the pageant. And this pageant is full of toothless, ill-mannered, and socially irrelevant contestants.”
“<<< And what would you call a Dolphins-Colts game?"
The game only available in your local viewing area!
Saywhut
November 4th, 2011
7:00 pm
Les Miles a great coach? Is he kidding?
GBoyDawg
November 4th, 2011
7:44 pm
Richt has won a higher % of games than Saban or Miles.
http://www.coacheshotseat.com/WinningestActiveCoachesIA.htm
Timbo
November 4th, 2011
8:02 pm
JSS and his incessant man love for J never saw a 3 pt brick shot that he didn’t love Smoove is back. The hack apologist is back. Yeah…all of the overpaid Hawks players can celebrate, that their “#1 apologist is back.”
Timbo
November 4th, 2011
8:05 pm
The crime Jeff, is that the lunatic fringe screaming for a man’s head aren’t even alumni. Sidewalk fans are the worst.
red&black
November 4th, 2011
8:06 pm
Jefro……..you da man, boss………..
JSS
November 4th, 2011
8:14 pm
Timbo…
At least know what you’re talking about before hitting the comment button… Me loving Josh Smith shooting threes (3s)? You must be either high or just looking for a fight?
But at least they won a playoff or a series… And you really don’t have to worry about them now do you?
I did all of that, and my plane hasn’t even set down Georgia Terra Firma yet! Just wait till I get over the jet lag and the Mexican allergy meds!
Brucerugby79
November 4th, 2011
8:21 pm
I like CMR–glad we have him-GOOOO DOGS!!!
Paul in NH
November 4th, 2011
10:16 pm
Jeff – Good, nicely written, blog. Saban and Miles certainly have things going well in both of their programs and show how a top HC can keep a program on top.
Lakedawg
November 4th, 2011
10:32 pm
Agree gboydawg—Coach mark Richt has a better winning % than either of the two and has winning record against both. This year they may be better we find out at the SEC championship game. Things change yearly in college ball and will bet these two are not top 2 in league then.
Red Stick
November 4th, 2011
11:15 pm
It is true as some posters have stated that Miles was on the hot seat last year. He was because at LSU mediocrity is unacceptable. If Miles had gone 6-7 like Richt did last year he would be gone.
The difference between Miles and Richt is the staff at LSU. We all know about Bobo so we won’t go there. Grantham’s fat butt would have been run out of Death Valley by now with his childish and embarrassing antics.
How many of Richt’s assistants have gone on to be a head coach? Just one, Neil Calloway.
These former assistants under Miles are head coaches: Porter, Memphis; Pavelto, Northwestern State University; Pelini, Nebraska and Fisher, FSU (also with Saban at LSU).
During Richt’s tenure Derek Dooley and Will Muschamp, former LSU assistants under Saban are now head coaches at big time universities.
The facts can not be disputed.
Geaux Tigers
Go SEC
Dawgboy
November 4th, 2011
11:16 pm
I heard that Coach Saban will not recruit at a certain large, talent-rich high school in Alabama. The story is that the players coming out of there have no discipline, are self-centered, and have no concept of “team”. When they get to college football, they are more like high school sophomores and need excessive training to “get it”, or they may never be productive players in a big time system. Since the Alabama coaching staff is probably the best in the business, UGA coaches would do well to emulate their ideas. For example, players coming out of Valdosta seem to be able to fit into a big time setting quite well, while talented players coming out of Columbus may not be the type that can immediately and regularly perform at the high level required for a championship team in this league.
Tossed Salad
November 4th, 2011
11:17 pm
Saban’s a good coach. A douche-nozzle, but a good coach. You can keep Miles.
Red Stick
November 4th, 2011
11:22 pm
Lakedawg
November 4th, 2011
10:32 pm
“Agree gboydawg—Coach mark Richt has a better winning % than either of the two and has winning record against both. This year they may be better we find out at the SEC championship game. Things change yearly in college ball and will bet these two are not top 2 in league then.”
Keep dreaming buddy. LSU and Bama have alot of players returning next year and both, according to those who know football, will be in the preseason Top 5 in 2012 if not #1 and #2.
Scholarship
November 4th, 2011
11:37 pm
GBoyDawg
November 4th, 2011
7:44 pm
Richt has won a higher % of games than Saban or Miles.
*************************************************************************8
Got to love a loser who post stats that go back 12 years to cover a point that is so irrelevant. Heck Joe Paterno is winningest coach all time but nobody really considers him to be in the top 25 in current head coaches. Get relevant. Stay within a senior recruiting class to make a point. A more realistic concept would be what is Richt’s record compared to Miles and Saban during the last 5 years.
Saban 51-11
Miles 49-13
Richt 41-19
Saban is averaging 2 more wins a season than Richt
Miles is averaging 1.5 more wins a season than Richt.
clon schultz
November 4th, 2011
11:39 pm
does this clown always ride every one who’s hot? he said UGA would lose the last 4 games but stil wnt acknowledge they are a better team than the one that played Boise. You are biased and are a bandwagoner
Dawg'88
November 5th, 2011
6:09 am
No…Schultz…not what “everybody else”…UGA already has a great coach…leave UGA out of it.
Maybe Yech wishes it had Saban or Miles…UGA does NOT!!
Dawg'88
November 5th, 2011
6:17 am
Last time UGA and CMR faced Miles and LSU…LSU needs a miracle and a phatom penalty to beat UGA. Time before that….UGA laid 50 on Miles in Baton Rogue.
Time before that…UGA won the 2005 SECC convincingly over Miles led LSU (Thats 2-1) but the two needed no miracles!
Last 3 times UGA led by CMR faced Saban…Saban wins in Athens during the 2nd Blackout.
Time before however, UGA wins in Tuscaloosa (for the first time) vs Satan.
Time #3…UGA trounces Satan led LSU in Athens….thats 2-1.
Point…don’t come here saying that those coaches do better jobs than CMR…they haven’t fared well head to head with Richt. They are 2-4 in their last 6 games vs Richt. No find some other obscure reason to say they are better at their jobs.
If they are so damn perfect….why the 2-4 record with 3 of the 4 losses vs Richt being blown out by UGA!!???!!!
Don’t confuse with facts as they say,,,,
Stupid is the New Black
November 5th, 2011
7:26 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=EsCyC1dZiN8
Jed Clampett
November 5th, 2011
8:33 am
Bama lost only 3 games last year for several reasons. 1-9 new starters on defense, 2- 7 teams on the schedule with a bye week 3- wearing a bullseye on your back 4- over confident players that were not as focused as the 2009 team.
Just wanted to clairify for the idiots on this site.
fuzzybee
November 5th, 2011
8:33 am
It’s all about players – these to guys can recruit. Now how they get those players…….
Stupid is the New Black
November 5th, 2011
9:09 am
@fuzzybee
The most effective way to recruit the best athletes is to run a premiere program that excels over the competition. The best athletes want to play for the best programs. Conspiracy theories aside, it truly is a rather simple formula.
Jethro Bodine
November 5th, 2011
9:19 am
Uncle Jed,
I just wish Georgia could wind up in the Top 10 at the end of the season when we have a “down” year.
Heck, around here, we call those “up” years.
ATLBamaFan
November 5th, 2011
9:34 am
Some of you UGA fans amaze me. Richt is 4-4 versus Saban and Miles combined. He’s 2-1 vs Miles. Naturally, I’d take Saban over Richt everytime (who wouldn’t?). Miles or Richt? I’d take Richt over Miles any day. Sure CMR has had a difficult time of late. Every coach that’s some where 10+ years is going to run into that. You guys read more about it here because you like in Atlanta, where there’s lots of coverage. My biggest question about CMR is, why doesn’t he get off his high horse and oversign like every other coach. It’s not illegal or unethical. Saban is smart enough to know his job depends on the decisions made by a bunch of 18-20 year olds. He can afford to kick guy out or suspend them because of the depth built through oversigning. That is what has gotten CMR in trouble.
ATLBamaFan
November 5th, 2011
9:40 am
Dawgboy, you don’t know what you are talking about. Saban will recruit anyone that fits his scheme. No truth to what you are spouting. No one can predict how an 18 year old is going to conduct himself when he gets on a college campus.
ATLBamaFan
November 5th, 2011
9:44 am
Also, I am sure that UGA fans would be wanting to hang CMR if he had not signed Crowell. Especially if he had signed with Bama. Trent R. would have kicked is butt if he knew Crowell was smoking pot!!!!
Yawn...
November 5th, 2011
9:45 am
@ATLUGAFan
Over-signing is not all that it’s cracked up to be. While you will read many complaints on this blog of Nick Saban utilizing that recruitment method, the truth is that Houston Nutt at Ole Miss is at the top of the list in the SEC and Saban ranks far below many other SEC coaches in over-signing.
Some recruits will inevitably not pan out for one reason or another. Some finish their high school careers with academic problems, some make last minute decisions to pursue another sport rather than football. Whatever the reason, history has shown that a certain percentage of recruits just won’t make the team.
Richt’s problem is not the number of recruits that he signs, it is instead his lack of judgment regarding the character and ethics of his recruits.
ATLBamaFan
November 5th, 2011
9:45 am
ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
ATLBamaFan
November 5th, 2011
9:52 am
Yawn, you must have just rolled out of bed. I read where CMR handed out something like 7+ scholarships to walkons this fall! Saban has never give out more than 1 or 2 to walkons. Why? Because he rarely has that many available because of over signing. That’s is intelligent scholarship management. CMR will hand a scholarship out to some kid who was never recruited by anyone and landed on his scout team as a walkon. That’s rediculous.
ATLBamaFan
November 5th, 2011
10:00 am
Yawn- “Some recruits will inevitably not pan out for one reason or another. Some finish their high school careers with academic problems, some make last minute decisions to pursue another sport rather than football. Whatever the reason, history has shown that a certain percentage of recruits just won’t make the team.”
Thank you for making my point about “oversigning”. I like to refer to it as “scholarship management”. Saban wouldn’t have been giving out 7 scholarships this fall to walkons. Saban coaches and recruits circles around Miles. UGA fans would be stupid to want Miles over Richt, if that’s what the discussion is about.
Yawn...
November 5th, 2011
10:19 am
Yeah, Coach Richt is a really nice guy. UGA should just go ahead and give him a lifetime contract. He’s definitely irreplaceable. Don’t you just know that the fans of the Number 1 team in college football are all thinking to themselves “Gee, I really wish we had Coach Richt leading our team today”?
Man, I could sure use just one puff of whatever it is that you’re smoking right now. I don’t think I could survive two puffs.
LakeDawg
November 5th, 2011
10:54 am
You heard it here first. UGA will never lose another game to UF.