- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
For older LSU fans
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:06 pm
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:06 pm
For some context, I'm 30 and didn't get to appreciate what was to come with Saban when he was hired.
Compared to that time, how does this feel?
Compared to that time, how does this feel?
53
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:08 pm to rpr4695
Not sure how many of us were super excited about Saban being hired. If I’m not mistaken, LSU had just defeated Michigan St in the Indy Bowl.
I’d say there’s much more excitement now, however when Saban was hired LSU fans had no idea what was to come. We just wanted to have winning seasons.
I’d say there’s much more excitement now, however when Saban was hired LSU fans had no idea what was to come. We just wanted to have winning seasons.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:08 pm to rpr4695
quote:
Compared to that time, how does this feel?
Like 2003
The Georgia game put LSU on the map.
I feel the same excitement as that. Call me crazy.
This post was edited on 12/5/25 at 11:10 pm
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:09 pm to rpr4695
We didnt really.know what we had at the time with Saban. He wasn't the GOAT while at LSU
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:10 pm to geauxbrown
I’m 49 . When Saban came in I thought it was a good hire, but not sure what would happen.
I’ve never been more fired up for a hire and the last 3 days with Kiffin.
I wasn’t a big Kiffin fan in the past. But, he seems to have grown up while still having that competitive fire .
I’m very excited for the next few years with Kiffin.
I’ve never been more fired up for a hire and the last 3 days with Kiffin.
I wasn’t a big Kiffin fan in the past. But, he seems to have grown up while still having that competitive fire .
I’m very excited for the next few years with Kiffin.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:11 pm to rpr4695
Coming off a decade of Curly Hallman and Dinardo along with the fact that Saban wasn't established as the best of all time - I remember a lot of cautious optimism. It turned into disappointment for a week when LSU lost to UAB but then Tennessee came to town after Lee Corso bashed Tiger Stadium and we all know what happened then... 
This post was edited on 12/5/25 at 11:15 pm
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:11 pm to rpr4695
When LSU hired Saban he wasn’t Saban yet he hadn’t even won a national championship. Remember, he was just another coach that came from a smaller school did well against a bigger school in his state. That’s what got him hired.
I thought he’d do well because he came from Michigan State and recruited well against Michigan, but his first year people were actually calling for him to be fired. I think he might’ve even lost Ole Miss and there was another game he lost it wasn’t all that great., but things looked promising and were trending upward with every year.
make a long story short nobody in Baton Rouge was completely blown away, but by year three, you could see what he was building and what he was doing and what was coming
I thought he’d do well because he came from Michigan State and recruited well against Michigan, but his first year people were actually calling for him to be fired. I think he might’ve even lost Ole Miss and there was another game he lost it wasn’t all that great., but things looked promising and were trending upward with every year.
make a long story short nobody in Baton Rouge was completely blown away, but by year three, you could see what he was building and what he was doing and what was coming
This post was edited on 12/6/25 at 10:23 am
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:11 pm to rpr4695
Nobody was overly excited about Saban, but the President of LSU understood that football was how he was going to fund LSU. He decided to hire the best coach available. So we decided to give him a shot. But honestly it took him a couple of years, and we weren’t overly sure he wasn’t just another DiNardo. Then 2003 happened. Boom. LSU changed overnight.
LSU hasn’t sniffed relevancy since 2019. This feels like a home run hire. This feels more like when Bama hired Saban away from the Dolphins. We all knew Bama was going to become a juggernaut. That’s how this feels.
LSU hasn’t sniffed relevancy since 2019. This feels like a home run hire. This feels more like when Bama hired Saban away from the Dolphins. We all knew Bama was going to become a juggernaut. That’s how this feels.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:12 pm to geauxbrown
quote:That was 5 years before LSU hired Saban.
LSU had just defeated Michigan St in the Indy Bowl.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:13 pm to rpr4695
The only thing I knew about Saban when he was hired was that Gerry DiNardo had beaten him in a bowl game. Everyone was happy about the hire, but not exact ally celebratory.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:14 pm to geauxbrown
Huge difference Saban is defense guy - Kiffin is like Sean Payton but there is some likenes with Saban - he became goat because he took a program like lsu similar to what ole miss was before Kiffin and made them champions in less than 3 years.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:15 pm to Buck Dancer
This feels better. Before Saban LSU had not sniffed a championship in generations. Since then we have 3 nattys. Perhaps the expectations were dampened by Kelly but Kiffin has breathed life into the program again.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:18 pm to rpr4695
Saban didn’t become Saban until he got to LSU
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:19 pm to drizztiger
quote:
That was 5 years before they hired Saban.
You’re correct. I had Michigan St and ND confused.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:19 pm to Buck Dancer
quote:
I’ve never been more fired up for a hire and the last 3 days with Kiffin. I wasn’t a big Kiffin fan in the past. But, he seems to have grown up while still having that competitive fire . I’m very excited for the next few years with Kiffin.
My feelings exactly and I’m 52.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:21 pm to rpr4695
When Saban came we had only had 3 winning seasons ('95-'97) in the previous eleven ('89 - '99). It hadn't been proven what LSU could be on the football field at that time in this era. Nick (49) was respected as a HC but wasn't even on the same level as Kiffin (50) is now.
'25 "feel" >>>>>> '00 "feel."
'25 "feel" >>>>>> '00 "feel."
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:24 pm to rpr4695
Everyone seems to be much more excited this time. Let’s hope we get the same outcome.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:25 pm to rpr4695
You should have been around when Cholly Mac was hired.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:26 pm to rpr4695
He was just a coach from up north. Didn’t know much about him. At least I didn’t. A little tidbit. TJ Ribs was having a name the next LSU coach. The person that won it was Mrs. Terry. She guessed Saban ??
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:29 pm to rpr4695
Saban was greeted with cautious optimism.
At his first presser when he began to speak I thought “Hmm. This guy seems to have his act together.”
At his first presser when he began to speak I thought “Hmm. This guy seems to have his act together.”
Page 1 of 5
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News