Alabama Coach Nick Saban’s Folly: Great Coaches Protect Their Players

[AUChizad]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/12/02/alabama-coach-nick-saban-s-folly-great-coaches-protect-their-players.html

Alabama Coach Nick Saban’s Folly: Great Coaches Protect Their Players

By Stuart Stevens
December 2nd 20135:45 am

Alabama’s Iron Bowl defeat was Nick Saban’s fault, but instead of taking the blame, he threw his players under the bus. They deserve a coach who’ll stand behind them after a loss.

Fans will remember Saturday’s Iron Bowl as one of the great college games ever played. But for the 28 seniors on the two teams, it will forever be remembered as their last regular season college game.

This is a game played by kids not long out of high school, and while some suit up for the chance to get rich, most play for sheer love of the sport. Because they dazzle us with acts of extraordinary athleticism and, yes, courage, we tend to forget that under their helmets and pads, these players are just as vulnerable and needing of support as any other college kids. Indeed, given the pressures placed upon them and the intensity of the spotlight, these young athletes need more support.

It’s understandable that all this may be lost on fans given the excitement of the moment. But for a coach to forget how much his players need his support in moments of defeat is just unforgivable.

    The players and the university deserve a coach who will stand behind the players when they lose, even when it’s their fault. And this one was Saban’s fault.

For the Alabama players, Saturday’s game was a searing experience. It was so bad, their senior kicker received death threats. This was the time for an icon like Alabama coach Nick Saban to focus his postgame remarks on helping the players he supposedly loves. Saban should have had one goal in mind: Protect his players.

Instead, he gave passing reference to “taking responsibility” then piled on, reeling off a litany of mistakes that could have won the game.

On the final touchdown, he detailed the obvious, that the defense back had made a mistake: “The corner is suppose to stay with the guy. The corner did not stay with the guy. You have to have tremendous discipline to play against this offense. We made a mental error in coverage that cost us a touchdown.”

The whole world just saw the poor kid screw up, does he really need his coach saying he lacks discipline and wasn’t thinking?

Instead of reminding Alabama fans of how much senior kicker Cade Foster, who had a terrible day, had contributed to Tide victories over his career, Saban made the astute point that it would have been better if they had not blown field goals: “The fact of the matter is that we did not make plays when we needed to. Whether it was a made field goal with a penalty or a missed field goal after that.”

Thanks coach! And on and on he went. Saban’s mealy-mouthed mutterings were all the more regrettable as he had done more to lose the game than any player.

In one of the biggest games of his career, Saban made one of the greatest blunders in big time college football history. With one second left on the clock, he had three choices: Run it out and go into overtime; let his incredible quarterback have a shot at a Hail Mary pass; or attempt a 57-yard field goal, a distance only made twice in Alabama football history.

Saban went for the third option, bringing in a freshman who had never made a game kick longer than 40 yards. He left on the bench his starting kicker who had been having a terrible day, missing three earlier field goals.

The decision was utter folly. In college, a 57-yard field goal is basically giving the other side a chance to return a kickoff. Worse yet, it’s a kickoff without putting a kickoff team on the field to defend. Instead you have nine players selected for their ability to block, not run or tackle. Generally, when your kicker is the best athlete on your side, you best hope the play doesn’t require a lot of running.

The kick was predictably short, and Auburn unpredictably returned it for a touchdown. Lighting in a bottle, but it was Saban’s disastrous decision that put the lighting in the bottle.

Saban wins a lot of football games. He’s a great football coach. But he’s a college coach who seems to have forgotten he’s not coaching in the pros. He’s reduced the joy of sport to what he famously calls “the process,” which seems as apt an indictment as any critic could muster.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Coaches like Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, Ole Miss’s Hugh Freeze, Vanderbilt’s James Franklin, and LSU’s Les Miles make you want to love the sport because they love the sport. They are open and visible about their love for their players. In October, after heavily favored LSU lost to Ole Miss and his star quarterback had one of the worst nights of his career, Les Miles took all the blame, saying in classic Miles style, “I did a piss poor job preparing this football team to play in this game.”

That’s what Saban should have done. He should have shifted the blame from his field goal kicker to himself. Saban’s paid millions of dollars to take the heat. Instead he offered no comfort to a broken-hearted kid who was receiving death threats. That’s shameful and a moment that should give pause to every athlete thinking of playing for Alabama and every parent who expects a coach to look out for their son.

Alabama’s not one of those problem programs that always seems to be in trouble. It has a graduation rate of 71 percent, and while that’s a tad below Notre Dame’s 94 percent, it’s still about average for Division 1 programs. A lot of good coaches and support staff at Alabama work hard to play by the rules. Their fan base is the envy of the nation.

Alabama shouldn’t believe it needs Nick Saban more than Saban needs Alabama. Alabama knew greatness before Saban and will after. The players and the university deserve a coach who will stand behind the players when they lose, even when it’s their fault. And this one was Saban’s fault.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect comments made by Coach Saban about the game.

[RWS]

It seems that the story omitted some of his comments from the post game press conference:

http://www.myfoxal.com/story/24103717/nick-saban-post

I was really proud of the way our guys competed out there today, but the fact of the matter is that we did not make plays when we needed to. Whether it was a made field goal with a penalty or a missed field goal after that. Going for it on fourth and less than a yard and not being able to make it. Making the decision to do what we did at the end of the game. Not being able to cover the kick. We knew they had a guy back there and that we had to fan and cover it. That was not a great way to lose the game, especially for a team that I have a tremendous amount of respect for. It is my responsibility.

On how he addressed the team after the game

I told the team that I was proud of the way they played all season long and the way they have improved as a team. We are very proud of our football team to win eleven games. I still think we have one of the best teams in the country. I do not think we played our best game today. Everyone knew what was at stake and we did not make the plays when we needed to make them. That responsibility starts with me and every player on the team and every coach in terms of how we contributed to what we did today. The ultimate responsibility is mine. I am very, very proud of this team, the improvements they made, the way they competed and played all year, and the way they competed today. We just did not make the plays when we needed to make them. This team will have another opportunity to play a game and we are going to try and do it the right way."

Bottom line, everybody fucked up in some shape or fashion.  Lots of dropped balls (including two TDs), lots of busted coverages, general lack of concentration.  Sometimes poor decision making by coaches. 

[oldautiger]

"Their fan base is the envy of the nation."
The envy?  What's wrong with this picture

[The Prowler]

It seems that the story omitted some of his comments from the post game press conference:

http://www.myfoxal.com/story/24103717/nick-saban-post

On how he addressed the team after the game
Bottom line, everybody fucked up in some shape or fashion.  Lots of dropped balls (including two TDs), lots of busted coverages, general lack of concentration.  Sometimes poor decision making by coaches.

Yup and the same can be said about Auburn too, a lot of dropped passes, a turnover, a couple holding calls, or a offsides on a 4th and 7 which allowed uat to continue the drive after converting a 4th & 2. Auburn could've jumped on uat early then rammed the ball down their throat. Instead, Auburn was also playing a little tight, but ended up still ramming the ball down uat's throat and walked away with the W, regardless of how many well paid athletes uat has.

[GH2001]

Yup and the same can be said about Auburn too, a lot of dropped passes, a turnover, a couple holding calls, or a offsides on a 4th and 7 which allowed uat to continue the drive after converting a 4th & 2. Auburn could've jumped on uat early then rammed the ball down their throat. Instead, Auburn was also playing a little tight, but ended up still ramming the ball down uat's throat and walked away with the W, regardless of how many well paid athletes uat has.

Yes. They leave the 300 yards rushing out conveniently.

Their first three scores stemmed from: a turnover, offsides penalty that would have been a punt if it had not happened, and a tipped ball on 3rd down. The 4th was a 99 yard busted coverage play with a jake holland caliber tackle attempt.

[RWS]

Yes. They leave the 300 yards rushing out conveniently.

Their first three scores stemmed from: a turnover, offsides penalty that would have been a punt if it had not happened, and a tipped ball on 3rd down. The 4th was a 99 yard busted coverage play with a jake holland caliber tackle attempt.

Calm down, I'm not trying to take a victory away from either of you.  I'm not saying that AU only won because Alabama messed up.  I'm simply speaking in reference to how Saban supposedly threw the players under the bus and took no personal responsibility.  I'm not being a dickhead "DEM AUBS GAWT LUCKEE" bammer.

[The Prowler]

Calm down, I'm not trying to take a victory away from either of you.  I'm not saying that AU only won because Alabama messed up.  I'm simply speaking in reference to how Saban supposedly threw the players under the bus and took no personal responsibility.  I'm not being a dickhead "DEM AUBS GAWT LUCKEE" bammer.

Oh yeah, sabbin took responsibility...then he'd throw the players under the bus, then he'd take responsibility again...then he'd throw the players back under the bus (rinse-repeat).

[Saniflush]

I'm with RWS on this one.  Saban told the truth.  The players do bare some responsibility on this...hence why they are players.  Saban can't throw, catch, or kick the ball.  He also can't run, block, or tackle. 
Have we really gotten to be a society of pussies that large and chaffed? 
Do he and the coaches bare ultimate responsibility?  Of course they do.  It's why they are paid millions of dollars, but I just don't get what all the hub bub is about?  I listened to his entire interview and heard him say all the right things.  I didn't hear him throw any players under the bus.  He called a spade a spade. 
There are plenty of other things to throw gas on to help Tuscaloosa burn.

[Buzz Killington]

I'm with RWS on this one.  Saban told the truth.  The players do bare some responsibility on this...hence why they are players.  Saban can't throw, catch, or kick the ball.  He also can't run, block, or tackle. 
Have we really gotten to be a society of pussies that large and chaffed? 
Do he and the coaches bare ultimate responsibility?  Of course they do.  It's why they are paid millions of dollars, but I just don't get what all the hub bub is about?  I listened to his entire interview and heard him say all the right things.  I didn't hear him throw any players under the bus.  He called a spade a spade. 
There are plenty of other things to throw gas on to help Tuscaloosa burn.

Why is it always about race with you people?

[Saniflush]

Why is it always about race with you people?

It's ok.   I'm taking it back.

[CCTAU]

I'm with RWS on this one.  Saban told the truth.  The players do bare some responsibility on this...hence why they are players.  Saban can't throw, catch, or kick the ball.  He also can't run, block, or tackle. 
Have we really gotten to be a society of pussies that large and chaffed? 
Do he and the coaches bare ultimate responsibility?  Of course they do.  It's why they are paid millions of dollars, but I just don't get what all the hub bub is about?  I listened to his entire interview and heard him say all the right things.  I didn't hear him throw any players under the bus.  He called a spade a spade. 
There are plenty of other things to throw gas on to help Tuscaloosa burn.

Why are you always thinking about naked men?

[Saniflush]

Why are you always thinking about naked men?

The real question is why aren't you? 

[CCTAU]

The real question is why aren't you?

Because always gets the best ones. You can't even go ugly early around him....

[Snaggletiger]

Heard one caller this morning saying Lord Saybinz destroyed the trust between him and AJ because he didn't put it on McTattoo's shoulders.  He threw 29 passes.  Then he said LS insulted all of his assistants with the way he handled the game and wouldn't be surprised if they all left.  I laughed because the host could only go...I....really?  I....so you think.....really?

[CCTAU]

He threw 29 passes. 

And he missed on a lot of those. The two floaters for TDs were totally on Neiko (Whitehead).
He also had some drops. So its not like the passing game was lighting it up.
I honewstly think that every bamturd believes that if they would have just thrown the ball long every play, it would have resulted in multiple TDs.                           

[dallaswareagle]

And he missed on a lot of those. The two floaters for TDs were totally on Neiko (Whitehead).
He also had some drops. So its not like the passing game was lighting it up.
I honewstly think that every bamturd believes that if they would have just thrown the ball long every play, it would have resulted in multiple TDs.                         

I am not so sure it would not have. 

[War Eagle!!!]

I am not so sure it would not have. 

fuck dude...

[GH2001]

Calm down, I'm not trying to take a victory away from either of you.  I'm not saying that AU only won because Alabama messed up.  I'm simply speaking in reference to how Saban supposedly threw the players under the bus and took no personal responsibility.  I'm not being a dickhead "DEM AUBS GAWT LUCKEE" bammer.

Actually agree with you there. Your players got outmanned. Not sure how much blame Saban can take really. And if I'm being honest, if I'm him I'm seriously considering getting the fuck out of dodge. When your fanbase expects a nc every single year now and you go into meltdown over 11-1, you have to consider if you really want to be the coach in that situation any longer.

[WiregrassTiger]

I don't really have a problem with what Saban said, as far as casting blame on the players. He did say the responsibility was ultimately his.

I think that the point that is being missed by most is: for every excuse I've heard for why Alabammer lost, I can provide you one with why AU should have won by a larger margin. Bottom line is that our D stood tall on more occasions than most folks(including myself) expected and our O did what most of us expected(I think). But Alabammer had no idea that we could run for over 200 on them. That was not imaginable. The rest of the season was an anomaly.

Most everyone outside of AU thinks that this game had more to do with Alabammer playing poorly than AU playing well. That's fine. But, I'm saying that we didn't play our best game offensively either. We had one critical dropped pass, one barely missed pass and one fumble that I believe would have resulted in at LEAST two TD's.

[GH2001]

I don't really have a problem with what Saban said, as far as casting blame on the players. He did say the responsibility was ultimately his.

I think that the point that is being missed by most is: for every excuse I've heard for why Alabammer lost, I can provide you one with why AU should have won by a larger margin. Bottom line is that our D stood tall on more occasions than most folks(including myself) expected and our O did what most of us expected(I think). But Alabammer had no idea that we could run for over 200 on them. That was not imaginable. The rest of the season was an anomaly.

Most everyone outside of AU thinks that this game had more to do with Alabammer playing poorly than AU playing well. That's fine. But, I'm saying that we didn't play our best game offensively either. We had one critical dropped pass, one barely missed pass and one fumble that I believe would have resulted in at LEAST two TD's.

bill king and colin cowherd both said we played great. And they are national guys. It gets noticed more than the bammer fanbase/media will admit.