🏈 What does Kalen DeBoer do Differently than Nick Saban?

[RTB X Bot]

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Had this very discussion late last night with @Kirk Van de Graaff, but in a more broader sense. It would be much easier to find the similarities between the 2 rather than the differences in how they handle things. The contrast is rather stark.

 

[mando]

The video seemed to be all about Deboer is more likeable than Saban. If he doesn't win at a high level no one is going to care about that..

 

[rammerjammer]

The video seemed to be all about Deboer is more likeable than Saban. If he doesn't win at a high level no one is going to care about that..

Reminds me of a story when Saban first came to Bama. A LSU fand and a Bama fan were talking about the fact that Saban was now at Bama. The LSU fan says to the Bama fan that Saban is really an asshole. Bama fan says, yeah, but he is our asshole now.

 

[mando]

Reminds me of a story when Saban first came to Bama. A LSU fand and a Bama fan were talking about the fact that Saban was now at Bama. The LSU fan says to the Bama fan that Saban is really an asshole. Bama fan says, yeah, but he is our asshole now.

Yep you have to win period everything else is secondary. I am growing tired of CKDs coach speak but if he wins at a high level I will get over it.

 

[TerryP]

Yep you have to win period everything else is secondary. I am growing tired of CKDs coach speak but if he wins at a high level I will get over it.

When we saw this transition I said, "huge transformation." Here's one example.

Saban: Assistants didn't speak.
DeBoer: They do, and that's where your content is found.
Saban: It took about a year to understand how to understand his pressers.
DeBoer: Less than that. You see him getting "face/air time" and that's because he is the "face" of the program. The "nuts and bolts" for info come from the staff now...not the head guy.

In my opinion, in both cases, people have had to learn to listen.

You are right. It has to be proven on the field. I'm also right when I say this.

If it's quiet around a good football program in the off-season: good things are happening. There are only a few programs that have enough stability around them where there's, just, not a lot of news. A good thing, mind you.

Ohio State. Clemson. Penn State, to a degree.

 

[Justneedme81]

Similarities:

• Both are successful college football head coaches. They have won everywhere they coached at.
• They have coached at top programs—Saban at Alabama, DeBoer now at Alabama (after leaving Washington).
• Each has a strong reputation for building winning cultures.
• They focus on discipline, preparation, and team development.
• They develop players.
• They look for high character, intelligent players who can take on multiple responsibilities on the field.
• They have defined process in the place. (Deboer kept some of Saban's process in place, because it made sense for Deboer).
• Both lets the assistant coaches do their job and get out of the way.
• Both have beautiful daughters.

Differences:

• Experience: Saban has decades of experience and multiple national championships. DeBoer is newer to the national spotlight.
• Style: Saban is known for his defensive focus; DeBoer is more offensive-minded, especially in the passing game.
• Legacy: Saban is a college football legend. DeBoer is still building his legacy.
• Coach Speaking- Saban "preach" and come up with interesting quotes and sayings. Deboer dances around the answers.
• Disciplines: Saban yells and smack on butt. Deboer lets coaches do the yelling for him.

 

[Justneedme81]

When we saw this transition I said, "huge transformation." Here's one example.

Saban: Assistants didn't speak.
DeBoer: They do, and that's where your content is found.
Saban: It took about a year to understand how to understand his pressers.
DeBoer: Less than that. You see him getting "face/air time" and that's because he is the "face" of the program. The "nuts and bolts" for info come from the staff now...not the head guy.

In my opinion, in both cases, people have had to learn to listen.

You are right. It has to be proven on the field. I'm also right when I say this.

If it's quiet around a good football program in the off-season: good things are happening. There are only a few programs that have enough stability around them where there's, just, not a lot of news. A good thing, mind you.

Ohio State. Clemson. Penn State, to a degree.

This is very true. Just make it to July with no noise, and they will likely have a good season. LSU, Georgia and Tennessee was in news for wrong reasons.

 

[Justneedme81]

Yep you have to win period everything else is secondary. I am growing tired of CKDs coach speak but if he wins at a high level I will get over it.

Terry already touched on this, but the thing is everyone has their way of speaking to the public about a product. This is interesting that you said you were growing weary of how CKD's coach speak and it reminds me of this meeting I occasionally cover for my boss time to time. My boss likes to drag the meeting out sicne he ask lot of questions to make sure we are covering all bases. Meeting typically run hour and half and it's only ten of us.

Whenever I run the meeting, I tend to ping everyone on the team 30 minutes before the meeting and ask for quick bullets of what needs to be addressed in the meeting. I will respond back and say "Okay we can talk about this and that. Rest, let's talk offline between us. Then in the meeting, I would basically keep my questions short and simple and in the end, the questions that needs to be answered are answered by their statements. Meetings are over within 30 mins.

My boss and I handle meetings differently and we have our own process for how we do things, but in the end, the results are still the same. That's the case with both coaches.

 

[mando]

Terry already touched on this, but the thing is everyone has their way of speaking to the public about a product. This is interesting that you said you were growing weary of how CKD's coach speak and it reminds me of this meeting I occasionally cover for my boss time to time. My boss likes to drag the meeting out sicne he ask lot of questions to make sure we are covering all bases. Meeting typically run hour and half and it's only ten of us.

Whenever I run the meeting, I tend to ping everyone on the team 30 minutes before the meeting and ask for quick bullets of what needs to be addressed in the meeting. I will respond back and say "Okay we can talk about this and that. Rest, let's talk offline between us. Then in the meeting, I would basically keep my questions short and simple and in the end, the questions that needs to be answered are answered by their statements. Meetings are over within 30 mins.

My boss and I handle meetings differently and we have our own process for how we do things, but in the end, the results are still the same. That's the case with both coaches.

The verdict is still out on CKD at Bama. Yellow flags popped up for me last year with things he allowed from players (see moore in the vandy game). Trying to not be one of those fans and be patient. Unlike several on here I expected growing pains in year one but but not Vandy like growing pains. Never any excuse for that no matter how many want to put lipstick on that pig. I have to remind myself that CNS lost to La Monroe year one.

I understand your mtg analogy btw. I would argue you method is more effective and what I would expect. Sounds like your boss just likes to hear himself talk and wastes peoples time.

 

[TerryP]

The verdict is still out on CKD at Bama.

With arguably the most stable locker room in CFB.

 

[TerryP]

I remember when I hit my toe on the coffee table last year.
Bama fans, thinking about Vandy.

Geez.

 

[Justneedme81]

The verdict is still out on CKD at Bama. Yellow flags popped up for me last year with things he allowed from players (see moore in the vandy game). Trying to not be one of those fans and be patient. Unlike several on here I expected growing pains in year one but but not Vandy like growing pains. Never any excuse for that no matter how many want to put lipstick on that pig. I have to remind myself that CNS lost to La Monroe year one.

I understand your mtg analogy btw. I would argue you method is more effective and what I would expect. Sounds like your boss just likes to hear himself talk and wastes peoples time.

We've covered this so many times in the recent months on this: Year 1 was weird situation. IT was a tough situation to navigate through with coaches and players. CKD had to structure the roster fast and figure out things later. For what happened, the coaching job did hell of a job managing the situation throughout the season. As far as Moore in Vandy game, I really get his reaction. He was upset about the performance by the players and you heard players talking about that in following weeks and months and it's been the subject of conversations in the offseason about accountability. IMO, Tyler Brooker, Malachi Moore and Campbell and others they really tried hard to show leadership in locker room, and sometime it wasn't just enough. Players with issues transferred out. Things are quiet at the moment with the camp. Bama Program are trending in right direction.

We just have to remember not to compare CKD to Saban and people are still doing that. I think we will be just fine.

 

[mando]

When we saw this transition I said, "huge transformation." Here's one example.

Saban: Assistants didn't speak.
DeBoer: They do, and that's where your content is found.
Saban: It took about a year to understand how to understand his pressers.
DeBoer: Less than that. You see him getting "face/air time" and that's because he is the "face" of the program. The "nuts and bolts" for info come from the staff now...not the head guy.

In my opinion, in both cases, people have had to learn to listen.

You are right. It has to be proven on the field. I'm also right when I say this.

If it's quiet around a good football program in the off-season: good things are happening. There are only a few programs that have enough stability around them where there's, just, not a lot of news. A good thing, mind you.

Ohio State. Clemson. Penn State, to a degree.

The head coach not managing the messaging seems backwards to me. I can probably count on one had how many times I have watched the assistant coaches interviews. To much content to try and figure out the messaging by going to multiple sources instead of the source it should be coming from. Another one of those I will get over IF he wins.

Just like last year I will go into a wait and see mode. Prove it on the field everything else is just talk. Everyone is going to be great in June just ask their fanbases.

 

[BamaFan334]

I remember when I hit my toe on the coffee table last year.
Bama fans, thinking about Vandy.

Geez.

Inexcusable loss no matter how anyone wants to look at it.

 

[TerryP]

The head coach not managing the messaging seems backwards to me. I can probably count on one had how many times I have watched the assistant coaches interviews. To much content to try and figure out the messaging by going to multiple sources instead of the source it should be coming from. Another one of those I will get over IF he wins.

Just like last year I will go into a wait and see mode. Proove it on the field everything else is just talk. Everyone is going to be great in June just ask their fanbases.

Transformation. It's a different age.

 

[TerryP]

Inexcusable loss no matter how anyone wants to look at it.

Yeah. LIke a reget when I had something last week.

Get over it. It's one fucking season.

 

[BamaFan334]

Yeah. LIke a reget when I had something last week.

Get over it. It's one fucking season.

I'll get over it as soon as you quit mentioning it meant nothing and everyone should look past it.

Not to mention it's easy to say "it's one fucking season" after the season and not mention ANYTHING while it's all going on. That was a fucking mess and you know it. DeBoer doesn't get a pass on that one, as no one should. He was paid $10M to not lose those kind of games. Oklahoma, away game, crazy atmosphere, not happy with our performance, but losing that game is more understandable. Vanderbilt, not ok even with a disaster playing quarterback for you.

 

[Justneedme81]

I'll get over it as soon as you quit mentioning it meant nothing and everyone should look past it.

Not to mention it's easy to say "it's one fucking season" after the season and not mention ANYTHING while it's all going on. That was a fucking mess and you know it. DeBoer doesn't get a pass on that one, as no one should. He was paid $10M to not lose those kind of games. Oklahoma, away game, crazy atmosphere, not happy with our performance, but losing that game is more understandable. Vanderbilt, not ok even with a disaster playing quarterback for you.

That's one scorned fan

 

[BamaFan334]

That's one scorned fan

Not scorned, just something to keep an eye on and not acceptable. If you felt it was an expected loss l, good loss, or a well played game you're full of shit. It's easy after the fact to laugh it off though, y'all are playing that role well.