Nick Saban - A Great College Football Coach Who Might Bring Alabama Back to Greatness

Nick Saban recently became the University ofWashington. He was twice named National College
Alabama football coach by signing the richestCoach of the Year (1984 and 1991), guided
contract ever awarded to a college football coach.Washington to the National Championship in 1991,
His 8-year, $32 million deal with the Crimson Tidetook the Huskies to 6 Rose Bowls (winning 4),
has a base salary of $225,000 that will bewon the Orange Bowl title in 1985, had a 10-5
supplemented by a personal services fee ofbowl game record, and won 22 straight games
$3.275 to $3.975 million per year. College footballfrom 1990 to 1992.
supporters are awash with money for winnersJames was inducted into the College Football Hall
who they believe can put their team on top.of Fame in 1997; Saban will likely be inducted into
Saban's deal does not include a buyout clause if hethe same Hall of Fame at some point in the
leaves, but it does cap public appearances at 15future.
per year (for alumni and booster clubs) that areHere is what Saban had to say about James:
unrelated to endorsements."Don James was my college coach at Kent State.
The contract also has incentives that couldI guess he had as much of an impact on me as
generate another $650,000 for on-field andanyone in terms of organization, quality of work,
academic success with his players. One biggie is(and) being the best you can be. He's the person
$200,000 if he reaches the BCS championshipthat got me (into) coaching."
game and escalates to $400,000 if Alabama wins.Saban was a graduate assistant and then
Saban also gets a country club membership, twodefensive assistant for the Kent State University
cars, a luxury box at Bryant-Denny Stadium andfootball team.
up to 25 hours of yearly flight time for personalI have distant connections to Saban and James.
travel in a non-commercial plane.I graduated from Michigan State in 1966 and saw
Ah, it is good to be Nick Saban in Alabama today.two great years of football before graduating. I
Now he must win and win big, something he hasremember the 1966 "Game of the Century"
been able to do at other college coachingbetween then No. 2 ranked Michigan State and No.
positions.1 ranked Notre dame that ended in a 10-10 tie
In his only year as head coach at Toledo he tookwhen Norte Dame decided to settle for a tie
the Rockets from 6-5 to 9-2 and therather than go for the victory.
Mid-American Conference co-championship.There were 5 All Americans on MSU's 1966 team:
Saban then went to Michigan State and in fivefullback Bob Apisa, halfback Clinton Jones,
seasons turned the Spartans from a mediocre,defensive end Charles "Bubba" Smith, wide
continual late-season failure into a 9-2 season thatreceiver Gene Washington and rover (linebacker)
included wins over Notre Dame, Michigan, OhioGeorge Webster.
State and Penn State before he resigned in 1999.I remember a game in 1965 when All-American
A season earlier, MSU knocked off then No. 1running back Jim Grabowski from Illinois and
ranked Ohio State 28-24 at Ohio Stadium andGeorge Webster were running full steam toward
routed highly-ranked Notre Dame before foldingeach other and Webster flattened Grabowski. It
later in the season.was one of the greatest tackles I ever
If the Big 10 was not tough enough, Saban's nextwitnessed. Grobowski went on the play for the
stop was another five seasons with the LSUNFL Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.
Tigers in the even tougher, nastier SoutheasternFootball at MSU then turned to crap until Nick
Conference.Saban arrived and took the Spartans back to
He chalked up a 10-3 mark and an SECprominence. It was one long drought that lasted
championship in his second year and topped thingsfrom 1967 to 1999.
off with a 13-1 record in his fourth season (2003)I relocated to Washington State in 1973 and
that earned the Tigers a second SECfollowed the University of Washington Huskies-and
championship with Saban as well as the BCSDon James-closer than I did Michigan State during
national championship title after a 21-14 win overthose years. Here in Washington Don James is
the Oklahoma Sooners.affectionately known as the "Dawgfather" and
After two average years trying to get the Miamitreated with as much respect as was Don
Dolphins of the NFL in gear, he left to becomeCorleone in The Godfather movie.
Alabama's new hope. Saban was able to build aYou will not meet a better college football coach
defense with the Dolphins but never really got theor person than Don James, he is always about
offense going, suffering his first losing record as ahonesty, integrity and doing the right thing.
head coach.My expectation is that Nick Saban will bring
Saban's extended family has football connections.Alabama football back to its rightful place. I have
His cousin Lou Saban was a two-time All-Big Tenbeen a Crimson Tide fan since the day "Joe Willie"
player at Indiana University and later was headNamath walked onto the Alabama campus.
coach for the NFL Buffalo Bills, Denver BroncosI am also fired up for the football season to start
and New England Patriots.as Michigan State has a new head coach, a guy
Saban played as a defensive back for Don Jamesnamed Mark Dantonio who is serious about
when James was head coach at Kent Statedefense and will instill the kind of discipline and
University. James also coached NFL great Jackwinning attitude MSU needs.
Lambert and led the Golden Flashes (it may beThe days of the country club atmosphere are
true) to their only Mid-American Conference titleover at Michigan State. Players will either get with
in 1972.it or get gone. Dantonio will not accept losing and
Like Saban, James was a winner. James went onneither will Saban. Look out SEC, here comes Nick
to coach 18 seasons at the University ofSaban.