🏈 Looking back over Saban's career: Assistant coaches- your favorite, and who you wish would have never stepped foot on campus.

[TerryP]

This question was brought up yesterday and I'm still struggling a bit with the answers:

My favorites would include Pendy, Davis, and Burns.

When it comes to other others? I'm still playing with the scales!

Take Enos. I hate the way he stuck his tail between his legs and ran off in the night when he realized he wasn't getting promoted. But, I have to weigh that against the job he did with Jalen in that off-season.

 

[TerryP]

People didn't like DeBoll. He ends up as the HC in the league. Perhaps, people didn't get what they were watching?
People are hatin' on O'Brien. What will they say when they see how well he works with Dylan? Not much, I suspect.

BTW, tops on my list of "disliked." No doubt, Jimbo.

 

[mando]

People didn't like DeBoll. He ends up as the HC in the league. Perhaps, people didn't get what they were watching?
People are hatin' on O'Brien. What will they say when they see how well he works with Dylan? Not much, I suspect.

BTW, tops on my list of "disliked." No doubt, Jimbo.

Wasn't he Sabans OC when the Whos won a NC? I m not a fan of him when he bacame Head Coach but seems like he was pretty good as an OC.

 

[Nothing_But_A_Winner00]

People are hatin' on O'Brien.

Two starting WRs short of a natty.

 

[Scrape&Search1032]

Two starting WRs short of a natty.

We had so many opportunities to win that game. Just couldn't capitalize on anything and win it.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Probably have to say Smart with his longevity and how the defense performed overall. I did like Pruitt's attitiude as a defensive guy.
Least favorite probably Tosh or O'Brien.

Really like Pruitt. Good ole Sand Mountain guy. Liked his D for sure. And what he did to Tennessee

 

[mando]

Really like Pruitt. Good ole Sand Mountain guy. Liked his D for sure. And what he did to Tennessee

I grew up in Jsckson County and he grew up in Dekalb county. Adjacent coutnies in northeast corner of Alabama. Planview I think is where his dad coached and maybe he played there? Not sure.... I have some years on him so we did not overlap otherwise we might have played against each other.

 

[TerryP]

Planview I think is where his dad coached and maybe he played there? Not sure.... I have some years on him so we did not overlap otherwise we might have played against each other.

Yes, and Pruitt is a coach there now.

 

[musso]

Really surprised to see Sark get so few mentions. Saban called him out, with Smart, as his two best offensive and defensive coordinators ever (wasn't sure if Saban meant in all his coaching years or just at Bama).

I've always regretted losing Pruitt and used to regularly cry a river about not being able to keep him "home." He may have presided over the best defensive rosters Saban ever had though. So there's that.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Really surprised to see Sark get so few mentions. Saban called him out, with Smart, as his two best offensive and defensive coordinators ever (wasn't sure if Saban meant in all his coaching years or just at Bama).

I've always regretted losing Pruitt and used to regularly cry a river about not being able to keep him "home." He may have presided over the best defensive rosters Saban ever had though. So there's that.

But the way he nailed Tennessee. Worth losing him

 

[musso]

But the way he nailed Tennessee. Worth losing him

I've wondered ... if there has ever been a historical case of "double-agent coaches" haha. Has there ever been a coach so loyal to a university that he accepted a rival coaching job and intentionally lost against his beloved alma mater and/or fed valuable information. That would be really funny if true.

 

[TerryP]

Saban called him out, with Smart, as his two best offensive and defensive coordinators ever

Ya got a link to that? He called them great coaches; never his two best as I recall. He said that of Jimbo over 10 years ago.

A lot of media outlets and fans say he's the best. I don't because it's a combination of what Locks brought to the table, highlighted by Kiffin, and tweaked by Sark. ... my viewpoint.

 

[Justneedme81]

Ya got a link to that? He called them great coaches; never his two best as I recall. He said that of Jimbo over 10 years ago.

A lot of media outlets and fans say he's the best. I don't because it's a combination of what Locks brought to the table, highlighted by Kiffin, and tweaked by Sark. ... my viewpoint.

Nick Saban calls Jimbo Fisher the best OC he's ever had

Nick Saban has one of the most impressive coaching trees in college football, but he says Fisher is something special.

www.saturdaydownsouth.com

That was in 2017. Since then Sark/Kiffin was his best. Daboll, and BOB ranks somewhere at the bottom. Daboll would've done well with Tua.... BOB would've done well with Simpson. Who knows?

BOB and Rees was not the worst, but not the best, but rather average... because of how they call plays.

 

[sean]

Favorite OC: #1 Sarkisian, #2 Kiffin
Favorite DC: #1 Smart, #2 Pruitt

And I think if they had Sark and Smart for a few years together, BAMA maybe wins a couple more NCs and definitely a few more SECCs. But any combination of those would have been absolutely awesome to see on the field.

 

[musso]

Ya got a link to that? He called them great coaches; never his two best as I recall.

I was thinking of when he called bullshit on them during Gameday before their rematch.

Nick Saban cuts up with former assistants Kirby Smart, Steve Sarkisian on 'College GameDay'

Nick Saban drew a huge laugh as he sat on a panel with Kirby Smart and Steve Sarkisian ahead of Georgia and Texas' SEC championship game matchup.

www.tuscaloosanews.com

“… these two guys were the best I've ever been around at getting a team ready to play in a big game," Saban said. "I mean these two guys are fantastic, both of 'em."

Not quite what I remembered but close.

 

[TerryP]

I was thinking of when he called bullshit on them during Gameday before their rematch.

Nick Saban cuts up with former assistants Kirby Smart, Steve Sarkisian on 'College GameDay'

Nick Saban drew a huge laugh as he sat on a panel with Kirby Smart and Steve Sarkisian ahead of Georgia and Texas' SEC championship game matchup.

www.tuscaloosanews.com

Not quite what I remembered but close.

In my view, that was Saban being a smart ass. It was a joke; not a accommodation.

 

[musso]

In my view, that was Saban being a smart ass. It was a joke; not an accommodation.

There was the joke. Then there were the sincere compliments which followed the joke.

 

[rick4bama]

Some are listed here!~

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

Have I missed Scott Cochran? There was a time that he was as good as it gets as S&C. Not sure if certain S&C programs have passed his process by. His personal regression not withstanding. And a tip of the hat for his recovery.

But a hell of coach during his prime.

 

[Justneedme81]

Have I missed Scott Cochran? There was a time that he was as good as it gets as S&C. Not sure if certain S&C programs have passed his process by. His personal regression not withstanding. And a tip of the hat for his recovery.

But a hell of coach during his prime.

Hmmm

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Have I missed Scott Cochran? There was a time that he was as good as it gets as S&C. Not sure if certain S&C programs have passed his process by. His personal regression not withstanding. And a tip of the hat for his recovery.

But a hell of coach during his prime.

I didn't name him simply because I stuck with on field coaches, but he certainly deserves a mention, IMO. Saban asked a LOT of him during his tenure at UA, and Cochran served him well, even as he dealt with his own issues. I'll always have a soft spot for the guy and hope he finds lots of success (and happiness) at UWA.