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Kevin Scarbinsky |
Nick Saban is not going to coach forever. We think.
As hard as it is to imagine him growing tired of making more money than he ever imagined to toy with opponents and the media alike, at some point, Father Time will get the better of him.
There's been much discussion of which coach the majority of Alabama Nation wants to succeed Saban when that day comes. There's another fan base that should be just as interested in which man will follow The Man.
It's the Auburn Family.
No one has suffered the wrath of Saban quite like the Tigers. It's not just losing seven of their last nine meetings, many by lopsided margins. It's watching their in-state rival assert its dominance over the state and the whole of college football the way Bear Bryant did in the 1960s and '70s.
Auburn fans won't get a vote when Saban retires to the lake, but there's one coach they should hope against hope doesn't take over in Tuscaloosa.
It's Clemson's Dabo Swinney.
Oh, Auburn wants Swinney on Saturday in Death Valley. Desperately. Auburn has lost three straight games to Clemson to fall to 1-3 against Swinney and his Tigers. It was Clemson in 2011 who ended a 17-game Auburn win streak, which included the undefeated national championship season of 2010.
That 38-24 Clemson victory still rankles some Auburn fans because Swinney seemed to enjoy it a little too much for their taste. They still haven't forgotten his giddy postgame reminder that it took an Alabama guy to end Auburn's streak.
Auburn would love to return the favor and be the first team to beat Clemson after last season's national championship. Even if Gus Malzahn and company exact their revenge, the last thing they should want down the road is to see Swinney walking the Alabama sideline as head coach.
Whether you like his enthusiastic personality or not, Swinney has become one of the best coaches in college football. Period. He's one of only four active coaches with a national title along with Saban, Urban Meyer and Jimbo Fisher, but that's just the cherry atop his impressive resume.
Three more highlights demonstrate his ability in big games.
He's won 11 games against SEC teams, more than any current coach outside the conference. He's beaten seven different coaches who own national titles (Saban, Meyer, Fisher, Bobby Bowden, Les Miles, Gene Chizik and Steve Spurrier). He's beaten six coaches who've combined to win the last 12 SEC titles (Saban, Malzahn, Meyer, Miles, Chizik and Mark Richt) and another in Spurrier who owns six SEC rings all his own.
The last thing Auburn needs is for Alabama to follow the best coach in Alabama history with the best coach in Clemson history who just happens to be a former Alabama player and assistant.
Can you imagine what the Iron Bowl would mean to Swinney if he were the head coach of the Crimson Tide? It would be like Ray Perkins turned up to 11.
Of course, you'll probably have to imagine it. If Alabama is smart, it'll call Swinney 10 seconds after Saban decides to retire and ask him how much he needs to come home. If Swinney is smart, it'll take him half that time to say thanks but no thanks. He can continue to raise the bar at Clemson, where he's put down deep roots. At Alabama, it would be virtually impossible for him to outdo Saban or Bryant.
There's no doubt that Swinney in crimson could get the better of Auburn on a regular basis. He's done that at Clemson. So for all those reasons, Auburn's preferred successor to Saban should be anybody but Dabo Swinney.
Continue reading...
As hard as it is to imagine him growing tired of making more money than he ever imagined to toy with opponents and the media alike, at some point, Father Time will get the better of him.
There's been much discussion of which coach the majority of Alabama Nation wants to succeed Saban when that day comes. There's another fan base that should be just as interested in which man will follow The Man.
It's the Auburn Family.
No one has suffered the wrath of Saban quite like the Tigers. It's not just losing seven of their last nine meetings, many by lopsided margins. It's watching their in-state rival assert its dominance over the state and the whole of college football the way Bear Bryant did in the 1960s and '70s.
Auburn fans won't get a vote when Saban retires to the lake, but there's one coach they should hope against hope doesn't take over in Tuscaloosa.
It's Clemson's Dabo Swinney.
Oh, Auburn wants Swinney on Saturday in Death Valley. Desperately. Auburn has lost three straight games to Clemson to fall to 1-3 against Swinney and his Tigers. It was Clemson in 2011 who ended a 17-game Auburn win streak, which included the undefeated national championship season of 2010.
That 38-24 Clemson victory still rankles some Auburn fans because Swinney seemed to enjoy it a little too much for their taste. They still haven't forgotten his giddy postgame reminder that it took an Alabama guy to end Auburn's streak.
Auburn would love to return the favor and be the first team to beat Clemson after last season's national championship. Even if Gus Malzahn and company exact their revenge, the last thing they should want down the road is to see Swinney walking the Alabama sideline as head coach.
Whether you like his enthusiastic personality or not, Swinney has become one of the best coaches in college football. Period. He's one of only four active coaches with a national title along with Saban, Urban Meyer and Jimbo Fisher, but that's just the cherry atop his impressive resume.
Three more highlights demonstrate his ability in big games.
He's won 11 games against SEC teams, more than any current coach outside the conference. He's beaten seven different coaches who own national titles (Saban, Meyer, Fisher, Bobby Bowden, Les Miles, Gene Chizik and Steve Spurrier). He's beaten six coaches who've combined to win the last 12 SEC titles (Saban, Malzahn, Meyer, Miles, Chizik and Mark Richt) and another in Spurrier who owns six SEC rings all his own.
The last thing Auburn needs is for Alabama to follow the best coach in Alabama history with the best coach in Clemson history who just happens to be a former Alabama player and assistant.
Can you imagine what the Iron Bowl would mean to Swinney if he were the head coach of the Crimson Tide? It would be like Ray Perkins turned up to 11.
Of course, you'll probably have to imagine it. If Alabama is smart, it'll call Swinney 10 seconds after Saban decides to retire and ask him how much he needs to come home. If Swinney is smart, it'll take him half that time to say thanks but no thanks. He can continue to raise the bar at Clemson, where he's put down deep roots. At Alabama, it would be virtually impossible for him to outdo Saban or Bryant.
There's no doubt that Swinney in crimson could get the better of Auburn on a regular basis. He's done that at Clemson. So for all those reasons, Auburn's preferred successor to Saban should be anybody but Dabo Swinney.
Continue reading...
