I used to hate how Sam King would always write the exact opposite of everyone's opinions on everything but I tend to think that way sometimes so I'll throw this out and see what reaction ensues. I thought maybe I was crazy at the time for supporting Saban after Ole Miss (maybe because I supported Dinardo at the end also) but I kept thinking that game was just the way the ball bounces. Sometimes your team is better but you just lose. I didn't think it was that he was outcoached. Ole Miss had defensive weaknesses that forced us to run the ball more and it seemed like the right thing to do. Now, are we giving too much credit to Saban? Dinardo won when he had good coordinators (Watts and Reese) but the team fell apart when these guys left. Saban seems to be the defensive coordinator so it probably doesn't matter much the turnover we've had there. Yet the defense was not good last year (although they improved later). Last year's team won because of the best offense I've ever seen at LSU. Do you give credit to Saban for that? No, that would be mostly Jimbo Fisher, along with Davey, Reed, and others (guys Dinardo recruited). Looking back, I think it was good timing to get rid of Dinardo when they did because it seemed as if he was too loyal to his coordinators. His OC didn't even have Div 1 experience. I hope Saban finds a good replacement once Jimbo gets a head coaching job. If the offense struggles, is it Saban's fault? I like Saban overall as a head coach because he seems to want to do the right things and is genuinely concerned for his players welfare. He obviously has earned the players respect and that is very important today. However, how much of the success the last two years are attributable to him? I've heard he's a great evaluator of talent. Does this include the offensive side of the ball such as the O-Line? I keep going back and forth on how much credit he should get but I hope he stays in Baton Rouge for a long time to come.
Well, I would say he did a pretty good job evaluating offensive talent like Michael Clayton, Marcus Spears (offense at the time), Matt Mauck, Joseph Addai (who in the last scrimmage led the team in rushing AND receiving), and Ben Wilkerson. There are others, too. I know what youre saying and partly agree. We all know Dinardo was a great recruiter, and that is about 50% of the reason we had success last year. But the other 50% should be attributed to Saban coaching the Xs and Os, as well as helping these players develop as SEC athletes. Dinardo couldnt produce squat with an offense that had THREE QBs go to the NFL (Nall, Booty, Davey). Josh Reed was on that team, too, along with Jarvis Green and Robert Royal. All these guys are performing on a professional level. I know for a fact that Saban helped these guys develop and refine their talents to make them super athletes. So we know he can coach the field. As seen by the talent mentioned above, we know he can recruit. We know by last years success that he can get the most out of his players. And we know he has a motivational fire burning inside. Yeah, we may lose great asst. coaches, but Saban knows how to get more. One the guys Saban brought in was strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffit. His first year was 2000, and I know everybody could tell how much better the team played all the way to the final whistle. Moffit came from Miami where we was voted 1999 strength and conditioning coach of the year by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Society. How about Stan Hixon, the WRs coach? Also hired by Saban. Reed, Myers, Clayton were all coached by someone Saban hired. Lets not forget that Saban brought in Jimbo, too. He is the all around coach. Dont doubt him.
