merged:Saban takes blame and rightfully so./The effects of Saban taking the blame

[phinking]

Saban takes blame and rightfully so.

I just read were Nick Saban told the player he did not prepare them well enough against the Jets. Well I whole heartedly agree. After giving up that first 1st down you would think one of our 22 coaches would tell the guy to get up in McClarens face and bump him at the line knowing he has deep help
and Pennington's lack of arm strength. I think Coach Saban was too busy doing TV interviews last week. Coaches like to tell players to focus, he needs to stay focus as well.

 

[LarryFinFan]

Well, perhaps a little better preparation might have made a difference, but the Jests were in dire straits and NEEDED that win. Pennington gets a lot of greif, but it has been because he has been injured, not because he can't play. Saban, rightfully shares in the loss, but to say that it was due to too many TV interviews is stupid...He is still adjusting his coaching style to the pros, as well as to his ***'ts...don't get too caught up in any perceived "lack of focus" from Saban, because it isn't there..

 

[HybridPHIN 23]

yah if anyone spends too much time doing interviews its Herm... the guy loves having his face in front of a camera.

 

[larfo2224]

They should come out extremely focused this week. If Nick was going to take partial blame for the loss, you can bet he will prepare extra hard this week.

 

[retired opfinistic]

Props to NS for taking credit and blame when they're due. The bloody nose we got from the Jets will only further his resolve to win.

 

[dQbell]

Again, this is early in the season, and if you ask me, many aspects of the team were in line. Like Saban said, they had two major 3rd down conversions that were big plays. Also, the Phins offense had some penalties that really hurt them. I really believe that, half way through the season, Miami will look much better. But, right now, they have a solid Panthers team to compete against.

 

[GWNFinfan]

I think they were prepared, they just didn't execute (which is understandable given all our off season changes and the Jets are a good team, at home, desperate for a win).

He's a motivator. I think he's just doing this to take the pressure off the team.

 

[miamirick]

I do think Saban made some mistakes in last week's game...primarily in his decision to have the DBs play off of the recievers instead of in their faces...especially considering Chad wasn't at full strength.

Good of him to admit to a mistake....just don't want to keep seeing him have to admit to them.

 

[thecoordinator]

is was an embarassment to have a guy like chad out there throwing floaters and moving the ball on our defense. i think after watching the tape nick realized that the kansas city game plan he copied didn't work because we don't have their o line and chad didn't fumble 6 times. i can't believe the thought never occurred to any of our coaches that we should be pressing their wrs because chads floaters allow for more recovery time....oh well.

 

[thedayafter]

Saban did what all respectable coaches do.... put the focus on them and take the heat off the players. If you look at many players quotes they appreciate the gesture... but think it's not warranted...

• JT: "Nick didn't miss any tackles, sacks, blocks or anything like thatâ€Â. "It is not his fault. Players need to executeâ€Â.
• Evans: "The thing about the players is, for us, we look back at the game and say, 'This is our fault.' Then you see a coach that steps up and takes blame for something that we don't necessarily feel is his fault. It just brings us togetherâ€Â.
  
  

 

[SoDakDolfan]

I think Nick is offering the obvious statement: when you lose the whole team, including the coaches share in the blame.

 

[Jillan98]

I do think Saban made some mistakes in last week's game...primarily in his decision to have the DBs play off of the recievers instead of in their faces....

In all fairness to the coach, they did try to bump the reciever. Howard whiffed and was beaten on a crucial 3rd down play..

 

[FRESHNESS]

I don't know why we abandoned a totaly successful (albeit a 1 game success) defensive scheme. Rod Smith & Ashlie Lelie wee blanketed ALL DAY LONG. McCairens, Coles & Chrebet were given an acre to roam. Plus our blitzes were mighty vanilla. Not half the creativity from week 1. Thats what baffels me. On offense, how many times did Abraham get chip blocked??? Thatr wouldl've been a better solution than change the personell around. Too much like last years OLine problems.

 

[Shouright]

Effect of Saban's Taking Blame

Bear Bryant used to say that his philosophy was, "when we win big, it's YOU [the players] who did it; when we barely win or lose, we BOTH did it; and when we lose big, I did it."

By sharing the blame with the players after the narrow loss to the Jets, Saban has followed in the Bear's footsteps this week. I think this will have a big motivational effect for the players against Carolina.

With Saban in his first season as head coach, he could easily succumb to the temptation to blame the players for losses in the effort to save face for himself and maintain his image as a good coach. He didn't do that this week -- instead he took some blame for the loss, which I think gives the team more of a feeling of "we're in this together." And if the team genuinely likes Saban, which I think they do, then they'll play harder for him because they know he's on their side.

Also, Dave Wannstedt NEVER did this (even though he probably deserved to far more than Saban), and I'm sure the players remember that.

 

[Namor]

Good One...ROLL TIDE!!!! ...