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re: Don't mean to anger anyone with this but I have a question regarding Saban.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 8:28 am to xxKylexx
Posted on 1/18/14 at 8:28 am to xxKylexx
Saban and his agent Sexton are data-nerds. They knew that LSU was a sleeping giant on the rise, and that Lousiana (along with the DC/Maryland area, South Carolina and Mississippi) had the best per-capita NFL caliber football players in the country.
They also knew that, along with Nebraska and Ohio State, that Louisiana was one of 3 football crazy states with only 1 true big-time football program.
This had Sexton and Saban looking at LSU real hard, as based on these 2 factors, it made LSU one of the top-3 best places in all of college football to be a coach - assuming you could recruit and retain most of the in-state Talent. The bonus was the proximity to Texas and the rest of the deep south, making recruiting even better.
Yes, this is a lot of info that seems off-point, but SABAN AND SEXTON were among very few who actually knew this back in the late 90's, and among even fewer who strategically acted on the information.
So, Sexton contacted LSU and Mark Emmert. Mark Emmert jumped on it, and Saban came in and took over the reigns from a fairly good base of recruiting from DeNardo, and his confidence and knowledge of recruiting (along with his defensive ability, process orientation and NFL style discipline and work ethics/expectations) materialized into the success of the early 2000's....
They also knew that, along with Nebraska and Ohio State, that Louisiana was one of 3 football crazy states with only 1 true big-time football program.
This had Sexton and Saban looking at LSU real hard, as based on these 2 factors, it made LSU one of the top-3 best places in all of college football to be a coach - assuming you could recruit and retain most of the in-state Talent. The bonus was the proximity to Texas and the rest of the deep south, making recruiting even better.
Yes, this is a lot of info that seems off-point, but SABAN AND SEXTON were among very few who actually knew this back in the late 90's, and among even fewer who strategically acted on the information.
So, Sexton contacted LSU and Mark Emmert. Mark Emmert jumped on it, and Saban came in and took over the reigns from a fairly good base of recruiting from DeNardo, and his confidence and knowledge of recruiting (along with his defensive ability, process orientation and NFL style discipline and work ethics/expectations) materialized into the success of the early 2000's....
This post was edited on 1/18/14 at 8:30 am
1
Posted on 1/18/14 at 9:13 am to dreamer
Dean never cared shite about football. I was a fresh man at LSU when Joe was a senior. I think his service as AD will speak for it self. He was a hell of a basket ball player but that was it. 
Posted on 1/18/14 at 9:28 am to Ace Midnight
Saban had a mediocre record as head coach before coming to LSU. He inherited great talent that was here already. He did implement his defensive scheme which earned him a national title and the rest is history. Since then he has been hailed as some sort of god, built up and fueled by the media which now allows him to get top notch recruiting classes every year. It kinda reminds me a lot of how Obama was elected
Posted on 1/18/14 at 9:35 am to OilMan25
Much talk of how Saban brought LSU to elite status but LSU also propelled Saban's status.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 9:36 am to OilMan25
He was a great coach who could just never get LSU that elusive win over Iowa in a central florida bowl game.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 9:36 am to OilMan25
I think Joe Dean's son called Joe Dean telling home to call Jimmy Sexton about Nick Saban.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 9:37 am to Football_Freak
It was Emmert who got Saban. Dean wanted to keep Dinardo for the sake of having some consistency at the coach position; we had gone through Archer, Hallman, and Dinardo and the last year under Dinardo we were the pits. One bad event on the field and the whole effort would collapse. Emmert, perhaps from seeing the good effect the UConn basketball program had on the university as a whole, called Dean in and said we're getting a new coach and just get out of the way. Remember for a moment the news conference about the release of DiNardo; it was Emmert doing the talking while Dean sat nearby downcast. Of course, Dean had to leave soon after as well.
Emmert, an academic, went to friends who knew something about coaches and wanted to know who was the best coach in America. He was told it was Nick Saban, if Emmert could get him. When Emmert sat down with Saban, each with their legal pads taking notes, Saban said he had gone through the NFL rosters and some 15-20% of the players were from Louisiana--what was the problem? Saban later said LSU was a sleeping giant. Emmert made Saban a deal he couldn't refuse.
I remember the first game under Saban; early in the game something bad happened--a turnover, I think. We gave some ground but then firmed up and held the other team. I thought then that we were starting to watch something different.
Emmert, an academic, went to friends who knew something about coaches and wanted to know who was the best coach in America. He was told it was Nick Saban, if Emmert could get him. When Emmert sat down with Saban, each with their legal pads taking notes, Saban said he had gone through the NFL rosters and some 15-20% of the players were from Louisiana--what was the problem? Saban later said LSU was a sleeping giant. Emmert made Saban a deal he couldn't refuse.
I remember the first game under Saban; early in the game something bad happened--a turnover, I think. We gave some ground but then firmed up and held the other team. I thought then that we were starting to watch something different.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 9:43 am to xxKylexx
Saban probably realized LSU's potential in the Independence Bowl when Gerry whooped that arse
Posted on 1/18/14 at 9:49 am to JAXTiger16
Saban's agent contacted LSU and advised Saban was interested in the coaching vacancy.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 9:50 am to OilMan25
quote:
Saban had a mediocre record as head coach before coming to LSU.
Truth - 9-2 at Toledo was impressive (no bowl), and 34-24-1 at Michigan State was pedestrian - but he had some big wins up there - pretty much beat the teams Michigan State was notorious for losing to.
quote:
He inherited great talent that was here already. He did implement his defensive scheme which earned him a national title and the rest is history.
Certainly true - he had his first bowl win after his first season at LSU (28-14 over the favored Georgia Tech Yellowjackets in the Peach Bowl).
He had his first conference championship in his second season at LSU (2001) which was also LSU's first in some time. "Dinardo's players" were apparently good enough to get past #2 Tennessee in a rematch in the SEC-CG, after losing to them in the regular seasons, getting blasted by Florida in Tiger Stadium 44-15, and losing to an unranked Ole Miss team in Tiger Stadium. We also beat an overrated Illinois team in the Sugar Bowl - fairly convincingly.
So, when people say LSU made Saban - that is more true than saying "Saban made LSU". However, both sides benefitted greatly from the relationship.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 9:59 am to Penrod
quote:
No one had to lure him. Saban was not approached, but he went after the job through his agent, Sexton (?). Emmert had the good sense to sign him up, though.
This
Posted on 1/18/14 at 11:01 am to la_birdman
I believe Skip Bertman, as the AD at that time was contacted by Saban who asked to be interviewed in secret so he could go back to MSU if not hired. He was hired.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 11:10 am to xxKylexx
quote:
I was just genuinely curious as to how LSU landed Saban
It started, for Saban, in 1995 when he came to Louisiana to play LSU in the Shreveport bowl game. A first year LSU Gerry DiNardo, taking over after six straight losing years, hammered a fifth year at Michigan State Saban in that bowl game.
That kind of thing stays in Saban's brain.
LSU had a opening fives years later, Michigan St. had a good record five years later, Michigan State was playing games with Saban, Saban decided to bail, and he remembered what a first year LSU coach had been able to do to him and his team.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 11:24 am to xxKylexx
Fwiw - a lot of people thought it was a bad hire. Especially after UAB loss
Posted on 1/18/14 at 11:31 am to PeaRidgeWatash
Saban beat all the BIG GUYS in the Big 10, even with lesser players, having to recruit against the BIG GUYS. The sleeping giant found a diamond in the rough!
This post was edited on 1/18/14 at 11:42 am
Posted on 1/18/14 at 11:33 am to OilMan25
quote:
allows him to get top notch recruiting
That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. We were #1 or #2 in recruiting every year but his first when Saban was at LSU. That never happened before he came to LSU. The media has nothing to do with Saban's success in recruiting at Bama. He's just damn good at it. Your comments make you sound like a whiny bitch.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 11:44 am to xxKylexx
I remember him being something of a surprise hire. He wasn't on too may people's radar at the time.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 12:12 pm to xxKylexx
The way I remember it. Saban's agent Jimmy Sexton who is friends with and business partner of Sean Tuohy had Tuohy contact Joe Dean. Tuohy is from New Orleans and knew Dean personally. They let Dean and LSU know of Saban's interest in the job. LSU's group met with Sexton and Saban at Sexton's house in Memphis the Friday after thanksgiving actually while LSU was playing Arkansas. Saturday Terri Saban visited Baton Rouge and looked at a few areas to get her approval. Nick actually never stepped on campus until his press conference Monday morning. He said he knew what he was getting into because he had been to LSU many times looking at pro prospects. Joe Dean actually to no ones surprise wanted to low ball Saban. Tell Emmert that they could get him for less. Emmert told him no, you give him our best offer and that's it. The rest is history.
Posted on 1/18/14 at 12:45 pm to TigerMike58
quote:I've been off of TD for extended periods of time of late and missed news of his passing, until now. RIP indeed. He was AD during my time as a student and he was a frequent customer at the restaurant where I worked. Classy, and very kind and gracious to "the help." Great Tiger.
Thank you Mr. Dean! May you rest in peace......
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