Southern Savior: Saban's 10 Keys to Success

Alabama’s Nick Saban has relied on his core philosophy to resurrect the Crimson Tide program and bring
championships to Tuscaloosa.

The decade between Alabama Head Coach Gene Stallings retirement in 1996 and David Shula’s dismissal as head coach in 2006 was perhaps the darkest era in Crimson Tide football history. Four losing seasons, NCAA probation, a coach fired before his first game and, worst of all, five losses in a row to Auburn led to despair in Tuscaloosa.

“We were at the point in our football program where we had to make a change,” according to Athletic Director Mal Moore.

“Our thinking was that we wanted to hire a head coach who had coached a conference champion – someone experienced who had been there before.”

With the announcement of Nick Saban’s hiring in January 2007, Moore found a coach who met his criteria – and then some. Not only had Saban led LSU to two SEC championships in his five years in Baton Rouge, he had coached the Tigers to the BCS National Championship in 2003. He previously had head-coaching success at Michigan State and Toledo and a string of successful assistant positions, most notably at Syracuse, West Virginia and Ohio State.

His only losing season as a head coach was his previous season with the Miami Dolphins, who finished 6-10. Like many college coaches who had made the jump to the NFL, Saban realized that the college game might be a better fit for him personally and professionally. So he accepted Moore’s offer and took on the challenge of returning the Alabama program to national prominence.

The rest, as they say, is history. After a rebuilding and retooling season in 2007, Saban has led the Crimson Tide to a record of 48-6 in the last four seasons, including two BCS National Championships and three wins over Auburn in the Iron Bowl. He’s the only coach to win three BCS titles and is one of two coaches to win national championships at two different schools. He is considered by many to be the best coach in college football today.

What makes Saban so successful? “All great coaches are very confident and have the ability to build their program their own way,” said Moore. “Great coaches do not compromise when putting together a structure. Then, the coaches and players believe in the system. More than anything else, the head coach has to be a leader at all times.”

Saban is clearly dedicated to excellence in every phase of his football program. He is considered an outstanding tactician, organizer and motivator as well as the ultimate leader. Saban believes a leader “has a plan, sets a good example, holds people accountable and has defined principles in his organization.”

In accepting the position at Alabama, Saban was given total control of the football program – coaching, recruiting, administration, and public relations. In September of 2008, going into Saban’s second season with Alabama and before either of their national championships, Forbes magazine referred to him as “The Most Powerful Coach in Sports.” Obviously, he has thrived by having total control of the football program and everything around it.

Saban’s system is predicated on defining the responsibilities of every individual involved in the program and holding them accountable. Instead of having his coaching staff involved in a variety of off-field responsibilities, he relies on Alabama’s support staff to handle all non-football related assignments, allowing his coaches to focus on coaching.

Football program management has become precise and detail-oriented. Saban is the epitome of a detail-oriented CEO, overseeing even the most minor details of his program. While micromanagement is not a style that would work for every coach, it fits Saban’s personality to a T.

According to Mal Moore, leadership is his strongest asset. “When you’ve had success, it’s easy to relax. His leadership as a head coach makes sure the program is always at the highest level it can be and he does not lose sight of it. This applies to recruiting, overall work ethic, academics, attitude and demeanor.”

From a football perspective, Saban has three well-defined “rules” for building
championship teams.

1. Put Defense First

Saban is clearly in the “defense wins championships” camp. With last year’s shutout of LSU in the BCS Championship game, his philosophy was validated with an exclamation point. Saban believes in putting his best players on defense, regardless of their prior experience. Mark Barron, who was recruited as a running back, was converted to defensive back, where he earned All-American honors and became a first-round NFL draft selection.

Last season, Alabama led all 120 FBS teams in eight different defensive categories, including:

• Total Defense – the Tide gave up only 183.6 yards per game and only 12 offensive TDs.

• Scoring Defense – 8.15 points per game.

• Passing Defense – Allowed 6 TDs all season and 111.5 yards per game.

• Rushing Defense – Allowed only 72 yards per game, three rushing TDs and 938 total yards.

• Opponents’ Third Down Conversions – 24.5%

2. Your quarterback should be an efficient game manager.

Saban believes that you don’t need a gunslinger to be successful – just a quarterback that is an efficient passer and limits his mistakes. His two most recent QBs, AJ McCarron and Greg McElroy, are great examples of Saban’s prototype QB. In 2010, McElroy had a completion rate of 70.9% with 20 TDs and five interceptions. Last season, McCarron completed 66.7% of his passes and threw for 16 touchdowns and only five INTs.

3. Find a power running back and gain yards up the middle.

When you think of the Alabama running game, you think of powerful, punishing tailbacks pounding out yards between the tackles. Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson are perfect examples.

In AFM’s conversation with Saban, he provided observations on a wide variety of topics and issues affecting his program and his players.

Coaching Staff

“In any organization, the people in it determine whether or not it will be successful,” said Saban. “The coaches that we have are instrumental in implementing the system. It is one of the most important elements to a successful program.”

Saban has retained most of his assistants over the years but, because of their success and the high profile of Alabama’s program, many of his assistants are in high demand for other jobs. But Saban is also loyal to his assistants and has fought for salary raises. Kirby Smart, the Defensive Coordinator, makes close to a million dollars.

Administration

Led by Moore, many of the personnel among the 146 non-coaches in the athletic department are dedicated to supporting the football program. “The AD has to be in a position to give you – the head coach – the resources you need to be successful,” said Saban. “From the University President on down, you need a supportive administration. It is also important to have their support in the development – both athletically and academically – of your players.”

Strength and Conditioning

“It is the building block of the entire program.” said Saban. “There are many intangibles in football – mental and physical toughness, playing with intelligence and not being fatigued in the fourth quarter. It was Vince Lombardi who said ‘fatigue makes cowards of us all.’ When this happens, you make mental errors. You have to play physical and be able to finish the game.”

Strength and Conditioning Coach Scott Cochran believes Saban’s “Fourth Quarter” program has been instrumental in the Tide’s success. “Every program has their own version, but what sets us apart, I believe, is coach Saban’s involvement and our attention to every detail,” said Cochran.

The Crimson Tide players run four days and lift three each week during the off-season. They utilize full body lifts all three days, starting with an explosive lift followed by a strength lift. “You have to create adversity in the weight room,” said Cochran. “It will make us better when we’re faced with it on the field.”

Chemistry

“You can’t be successful if you don’t have it,” said Saban. “The players have to buy into your system. That is, the same standards and principles that you teach. High standard people don’t like mediocre people. They must respect and trust each other as players and coaches. You also need maturity and leadership to navigate the ship. You can’t win without it.”

Saban feels you can build chemistry as the season progresses. “It’s not something you have to wait for as a coach. But if you understand it – the right leadership, motivation, and attitude – you can develop it.”

Recruiting

Few coaches put in more effort recruiting than Saban. When going into a recruit’s home, he talks about a 40-year decision rather than a four-year decision. He wants each of his scholarship players to understand they will be members of the Crimson Tide for the rest of their lives and take pride in it.

Alabama’s recruiting system defines a prototype for each position – height, weight, and speed. If an athlete doesn’t meet the minimum standards for his position, he isn’t recruited, regardless of the notoriety he may have achieved in high school. The staff also investigates the character of every recruit and whether or not the player can take hard coaching.

Assistant Coach Lance Thompson emphasizes three points when recruiting:

1. Tuscaloosa is a great place to be with tremendous passion for football.

2. You are going to get a great education and have the advantage of a powerful alumni network.

3. You will be coached, mentored, and developed by arguably as good a coach as there is.

One of Saban’s proudest moments last fall was when 35 of his players made the SEC academic honor roll – the most of any team. It is important to Saban that recruits become successful as people – regardless of their occupation – after they leave the school.

Social Media

“We do our part with social media because it’s the generation we’re dealing with,” said Saban. “It is important to communicate with your players and set a good example. You have to lead and communicate and make sure your players are listening – even if it is by texting, instant messenger or something similar. We are, however, limited in this type of communication by NCAA standards.”

Nick Saban has now coached longer at Alabama than any other team and he’s under contract through 2019. Will he ultimately surpass Bear Bryant’s record of six national championships? Time will tell. But one thing is certain – in only five seasons, he has earned a place alongside the legendary coach in the hearts of Crimson Tide fans everywhere.