re: Would LSU be....

LSU would have turned into a power eventually with the hire of an elite coach. There are a shite ton of coaches who could have turned LSU into a powerhouse. The key was keeping all the desired instate recruits for LSU.

Stupid question 16 post guy. Anchor this fricking topic boys.

A lot of fans think of Saban as the greatest to ever step foot on campus but think about todays college game and the money it brings in. Do you really think LSU would have just set there and let it all go by with out finding a winning coach?

We may not have turn around as fast as we did but I do believe we would be one of the nation best with or with out Saban.

Saban realized the incredible recruiting advantages at LSU, and was able to put together a nice coaching staff which seemed to be Dinardo's downfall. Les get's a mulligan for last season. There are absolutely no excuses to be shitty this season.

My answer to your question is no....Saban took us to another level that some other coaching hire may not have been able to do.

LSU had the tools to become top level program when they brought in Bob Broadhead as AD. Broadhead was the first to establish PPV TV for LSU sports. He built top notch facilities. Broadhead hired Bill Arnsparger from the Miami Dolphin and LSU was on its way to the top.

Then Bob Broadhead decided to retire and thus began the feud between Arnsparger and Dale Brown for the AD position. Brown threatene to quit if Arnsparger was named AD. LSU didn't want Brown to leave, but they darn sure didn't want Brown as AD

So, LSU chose neither. Arnspager was so pissed he was not chosen, he took his ball and went home. As further evidence of his anger and disdain for LSU, he recommend to the LSU Board, that they hire greenhorn Mike Archer instead of Steve Spurrier.

The point I am trying to make is, LSU has always had the support and desire to be "the" program. All they needed was the right coach. It just happened to be Nick Saban, but it could have been Bill Arnsparger, Steve Spurrier or any quality coach. This is more than one out there you know.

Just Sayin

Ageed

I take it that this thread's initiator was simply exploring a counterfactual, i.e., a "what-if" Saban had never stepped foot in Baton Rouge. Along the way it turned into another Miles-Saban contest.

Some summary statements:
1) Who knows? LSU could've made another bum hire (like Archer or Hallman) or LSU could've hired someone besides Saban that would've equaled or surpassed where we are now. It's all speculation but fun stuff. No reason to conclude that LSU could not have had similar success without Saban.
2) Suppose we had hired Spurrier instead of Archer after '86. We may have won 4-5 NC's since then.
3) Suppose we had hired ND's receivers' coach after '99. Again, we may have well surpassed Saban's success in the same time span. DiNardo's years were arguably comparable to UF's with Zook.
4) There are other examples of coaches taking over sagging programs and having great success. E.g. Carroll at USC. Nick Saban never had a monopoly on winning football. Miami won four NC's over nine seasons with three different head coaches.

quote:

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Too many programs have been resurrected or built from nothing for someone to believe no one other than Saban could have brought LSU to elite status.

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Face it, LSU had never been an elite football power before Saban. Bama dominated LSU and the SEC during the 60's, 70's and 80's and Florida dominated in the 90's.

I question if even Saban could have accomplished what he did without Skip Bertman as our AD. IMO, Bertman is the real force that has LSU where it is today. Without him, I don't know if Saban could have been as successful as he was.

IMO, without either of them, LSU football would not be what it is today.