re: Saban speaks about the biggest mistake he made in his career

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Powers at be

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Such pre Madonnas, all of them

Saban always had the itch to dip his toes back into the NFL, while at LSU. Wayne Huizenga gave him alot of control. I think the qb situation, and the Dolphins failing Brees physical changed his mind to go back to college. At the time LSU didn't have a vacancy. Miles inherited the keys to the kingdom, and they were pretty good in 2005, albeit Katrina and playing for 10 straight weeks. Kevin Faulk put us on the map in 1995 (Dinado too), and Saban took us to the promised land. 4 years to get there. Remember? No doubt in my mind he has a special place in his heart for LSU..

Didn't get the qb right.

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if Saban really felt like he wanted to be Bear Bryant and stayed in college, AT LSU

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Hindsight is 20/20, at the time Saban wasn't SABAN.

Hell, when he left LSU he had a 3 loss season that year and was a complete failure at Miami. He didn't have the clout he has now, it would have been seen as the dumbest AD decision of its time to fire a coach who had just gone 11-2 twice.

Now, some 20 years later we know that it would have been worth the criticism because we know the GOAT he became but to say that at that moment you or anyone knew what he would be is just a lie.

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until he scratched that itch.

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This was it.

He was gonna take his shot at the NFL. It was inevitable.

On paper, Miami was the perfect set up. Motivated owner and essentially a blank check.

But, Nick was used to being king of the hill with ultimate authority. That doesnt work in the NFL where players make more than the coach and the NFLPA is a real thing.

That's why he went back to college, and that's also why he retired from Alabama

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CA Bertman made no attempt at all to fight Huizenga and entice him to stay at LSU

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I had heard this was leaked from a board member shortly after Saban left. Saban did say once he was not interested in coaching over -paid kids in the NFL.

Saban was always flirting with NFL - Bears, Colts and then he took Miami job.

Story goes in 2007 when Miles/Michigan rumors were gearing up LSU was interested in 3 coaches: Jack Del Rio, Spurrier, and Saban. Saban supposedly wanted to come back. Who knows.

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CA Bertman made no attempt at all to fight Huizenga and entice him to stay at LSU and made no attempt/offer for him to come back to LSU if he didn't like the NFL.

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People don’t realize Skip is Jewish.

I think if anything that it lends credence to some of the off the field rumors surrounding the Sabans going on in Baton Rouge at the time.


I think there was always the “itch” to go but particularly with that story you have to think something else personal nudged him.




Also I’m in agreement with one of the aforementioned posts that had he stated he would not have be “Saban”


He would have been still very good but he came back from the NFL running a different defense, he was in a different recruiting area which outside of the home state (La vs Al) UAs is IMO more fertile and he still had massively deep ties to back in Louisiana which would be used at times as well.


Personally I see Georgia Florida as > Texas

Lsu was interested in Dirk Koetter before hiring Les Miles. Alot people dont know that .