Brief history of the football opps building.

Posted a reply in another thread, but thought I would break it out here.

Saban had the opps building idea and kick-started the project right before he left, because he was tired of bussing the players from the stadium locker room to the practice fields and back every day. He also was wise and saw the future of college athletics turning into a war over facilities. He wanted better than the NFL had at the time. LSU was the first to build such a building, then others quickly followed.



The football opps building was built adjacent to the practice fields, southwest of the stadium, across Nichols.

Saban had a work-only mentality though, and so no players lounge was included.

The opps building was actually finished and opened during Miles second year, in 2006.



It also includes the weight room and indoor practice facility.



Now, it's 13 years old and was in need of a heavy face lift. So last year they gutted the locker rooms inside, and replaced them with what you've seen this week: new locker room, newer high-tech meeting/film rooms, upgraded nutrition center, and much-needed larger players lounge.

The staff I've talked to have told me that facilities are the single biggest recruiting tool in college athletics right now, nation-wide. It is literally an arms race. Saban correctly called it 15 years ago.

The players week-day locker rooms are in the opps building. Game day, their pads and unis are set up in the Jeff Boss Locker room under the stadium. The players stay in a hotel the night before every game, and are bussed to and dropped off in the round-a-bout at the top of the hill.

Old Football Opps locker room:


New Football Opps locker room:


Jeff Boss Locker room in stadium on game day: