re: If Saban Never Came to LSU...

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Didn't read the whole thread, but I seem to remember Saban always knew the best players usually win the game. He saw the state of Lousiana had more players in the NFL than any state per capita...or over all.

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Emmert probably knew from jump he was the guy, that's why he did what he did for a largely unproven head coach.

I was in the Gridiron Club when Saban was here and for all the chatter about what a prick and a control freak he was, outside of Dinardo who started the Gridiron Club, he was the most candid coach in that setting and in his talks there he was engaging and informative and educating.

Miles was awful at Gridiron, he was closed up and paranoid and obviously did not want to be there, showed up late consistently, and gave nothing back for what we put in, and IMHO pretty much neutered that organization. Saban who was supposed to be the Nazi was much more engaging on those Friday home game meetings and actually gave the fans substance and made it fun to go to those events. I can guarantee you he probably wanted to be there even less than Miles but he showed up and slayed it anyway.

He saw the big picture. I agree with you there were games where X's and O's there were guys out there that on some given days outcoached him.

But to get this program over the hump I don't think Emmert could have chosen better. Had he chosen almost anyone else I honestly don't believe his grand plan gets us over that hump. And I think he'll tell you that today.

Skip made baseball what it is today. Broadhead saw that potential and hired Skip.
Almost any other hire almost certainly fails and LSU baseball is nothing today.

Now LSU football had some history and was not as dire as LSU baseball I understand. But I lived through enough years of good but not great with LSU football before Saban arrived to understand what he brought to the table here.

Yep. Perfect storm of Emmert and saban

Dinardo got the ball rolling with recruiting. People give Saban credit for the 07 ship because they were Saban’s recruit, but the same can be said of 03 being Demarco recruits. He got the ball rolling and laid the foundation of keeping players in state.
Emmert’s aggressive and Saban’s processes is what really kicked the doors open for LSU football.

Saban is totally responsible for making lsu the power it is today! I hate that MFer though.

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I don't think he ever cracked the code of today's offenses.

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Not sure about code cracking, but his total D has been top 25 nat/ top 5 SEC for most every season since returning to ncaa iirc.
Good riddance and

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Dinardo got the ball rolling with recruiting.

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Dinardo IMHO did A LOT of good things here. He really went to battle with Dean and the old guard to get the facilities up to at least competitive standard, and he really had to and did piss off alot of folks to do it but it had to be done.

We can all debate what did him in, everyone says it was the Tepper hire, but IMHO that was just a sypmtom, but I've given my take on that 50 times here so I'll spare everyone, but whatever you believe the reason - he wasn't Saban. Didn't matter who that dude hired as coordinators he still won. It was him.

Saban came to MSU when it came off probation. His turnaround there was considered to be top notch by football experts.

When he was DC at Cleveland, the Browns fielded some really tough defenses, ranked pretty high in NFL.

He was up and coming and many in the football world knew it.