Nick Saban Evaluation

[Rich]

Year 1: Turned a 4-12 team into a 9-7 team.
Year 2: Turned a 9-7 team into a 1-6 team.

The results are mixed. Last Year, Saban did a good job. This year, the coaching is worse, on many levels.

No one really cares if we should be 4-3... and instead we are 1-6.

Here are the problems:
1. Eliminated from the playoffs.
2. We lost to the Jets.
3. Last year we didn't make the playoffs. If Wannstadt didn't make the playoffs, it was a "bad year". Was last year a "bad year"?
4. Can Nick Saban coach offense? Last year, we had the "dolphins 31st ranked offense" (out of 40). This year it is 41 out of 41. Why are his offenses bad?
5. Can Nick Saban identify and fix problems? Saban inherited the #1 Secondary in the league. He got rid of it... was that wise? LJ Shelton(ranked #30 in run-blocking.) was brought in to replace Damion MacIntosh(ranked #6). This was a mistake.
6. Did he get stupider this year? Last year, the offense re-focused on throwing to Chambers, and the offense improved, and the points went up. Did Saban forget this? Why is Chambers production cut in half? Why is Wes Welker leading the team in yards?
7. Discipline. At one time called the "Nicktator"... now he doesn't know how to coach messups. Besides dropped passes, this team is 29th in penalties. Penalties and dropped balls don't matter? Shula benched guys for these problems.
8. Our only win this year, was because a holding penalty negated a touchdown.

Comments: Wins will cure all problems. Half the season is gone, and dol-fans are looking for answers. Why are we so bad? What can be done to fix it?

So far the answers from Nick Saban as to why are we so bad are:
1. Culpepper is not mobile. (is he less mobile than Dan Marino? Less Mobile than a limping AJ Feeley?)
2. My 2 best players have a bad knee, and 1 is in Canada. Harrington rated higher than Frerotte last year. QB is not the problem. Ronnie had a higher YPC than Ricky last year; RB is not the problem.
3. I can't coach messups; Messups occur every game. The goal is to be winning when they occur. So that the messup causes you to win by only 3, and not 14. Mess-ups stem from lack of discipline.

The question becomes: Can Saban re-emerge as the coach he was last year or will he remain - worse than Wannstadt?

 

[Fin D]

There are not 41 teams in the league. If they were, how could last year we be 31 out 40, and then this year be 41st?

 

[Rich]

My wording was poor. 41 years of Dolphins football. The offense has scored less than 2004... and less than the expansion years.

Expansion Years:
1966 15.2 PPG
1967 15.6 PPG
1968 19.7 PPG
1969 16.6 PPG

Wannstadts worst year:
2004 17.2 PPG

Saban:
2005 19.9 PPG
2006 14.6 PPG

 

[dlockz]

My wording was poor. 41 years of Dolphins football. The offense has scored less than 2004... and less than the expansion years.

Expansion Years:
1966 15.2 PPG
1967 15.6 PPG
1968 19.7 PPG
1969 16.6 PPG

Wannstadts worst year:
2004 17.2 PPG

Saban:
2005 19.9 PPG
2006 14.6 PPG

Damn we are worse on scoring offense than our expansion year, geesh that stat makes u cringe.

 

[emocomputerjock]

Did you need more Saban threads that you started on the first page? Regardless, I'll take a stab at your numbers.

1. Weren't we eliminated from the playoffs last year too? Let's face it, we overacheived last year, and we all bought into the hype that we were a better team than the 4-12 one that preceded it. We were, but not by much. This year we're closer to where we need to be, like it or not. We started by cutting a lot of the dead weight last year, and this offseason is going to open some eyes.

2. I hate the Jets too, but they're just one L in the 6 we've accumulated so far. I'd trade the Titans win for the Jets one, but the NFL wouldn't let me. Not really an issue when youre talking about Saban's performance.

3. You see today a team that's had to be gutted, slashed, ripped apart, etc etc etc, in order to get it to a point that future success could be built. Last year was a bad year. This is a bad year. We're just going to have to suck it up until the process is finished. Don't like it? Tough. If we didn't cut anyone, and ended up with the same record as last year, would that make you happy?

4. NICK SABAN DOES NOT COACH THE OFFENSE. HE DOES NOT COME UP WITH PLAYS, AND DOES NOT CALL THEM UNLESS HE REALLY DISAGREES WITH HIS OC. *phew*

5. Of all of the players Saban has cut or traded, how many of them are superstars playing on other teams? Salary cap issues, age issues, and performance issues made it necessary to make changes. Sometimes you have to let go of good players in order to get to where you want to be. More and more young guys are entering the team though, and that is going to be very good, for a long time. Again, if we didn't cut anyone, and ended up with the same record as last year, would that make you happy? Sometimes progress can't be measured in numbers.

6. If Chris Chambers wants the ball, he's going to have to go back to his form a year ago. Simply put, once again he's the mediocre guy that has us slapping our heads in frustration with his gameplay. Matter of fact, most of our receivers have played horribly this year, no fire, no intensity. The one guy who does, Welker, is therefore leading the offense. Two questions in one.

7. I have no clue what goes on in practice, or what he's screaming about on the sidelines when things go wrong. I have no clue how his disciplinary technique is applied insofar as the Dolphins go. I do know, however, that he's not throwing people under the bus in public. I also know that he hasn't made any secret that if someone isn't getting it, they'll be let go. Just because he's working on making things better doesn't automatically mean he's going to bench half of his team. Why? Because he can't. He puts the best team he has on the field every week, and they're not executing. He's not trying to sit people, he's trying to get them to eliminate their mistakes. This isn't college, where making your guys do laps when they screw up works anymore. This is the pros, and he's doing exactly what needs to be done. Shula could afford to bench guys for mistakes, we can't. We don't have the number 1 quarterback of all time on our roster anymore. Dan had it - the it being the combination of physical tools, leadership, and just plain guts it took to drag an entire football team through a game with him. He never ever let up, and he refused to accept anyone else in the team doing so either. There is no field general like that on the Dolphin's roster now. There is no one on the field to force that kind of play out of the rest of the team. Look at Brady, at Manning. Those are quarterbacks, those are leaders on the field. When the Dolphins take the field, Saban can't play for them. He can't give them the confidence of knowing that no matter what, every game was winnable because you had guys that could, would and did drag you along for 60 minutes of football to get that win. We don't need press conferences or game plans so much as we need on-the-field leaders, players who won't give up and most of all players that won't tolerate their teammates being a bunch of jacktards on the field.

8. And most of our losses were one call, one made field goal, one more yard away from being wins. Doesn't have anything to do with Saban, and certainly doesn't change the W-L or the fact that we've got work ahead of us for the rest of the season and offseason.

 

[Rich]

Touché. Nice response. I don't necessarily agree with you, but it was a well-thought-out, good response.

 

[Finland]

Touché. Nice response. I don't necessarily agree with you, but it was a well-thought-out, good response.

Yup, there are two sides to everything. There is also a bottom line...and the bottom line is Saban needs to do better. We are worse than last year. We are very bad. It is not working.

 

[emocomputerjock]

Touché. Nice response. I don't necessarily agree with you, but it was a well-thought-out, good response.

Sorry about the tone, I've just been upset with all of the Saban is horrible threads lately (it's the meme of the week, just like Harrington or Ronnie). Hopefully someone won't mention Zach to safety :D

The one thing that a lot of people won't see though, is that Saban doesn't call out his staff or players in public. Last year, when we were doing a not-so-good job on the offensive side of things, we brought the OC down from the booth and started Chambers from the slot more. Technically speaking, making those kinds of adjustments means we can't run the schemes we want to run (even though the OC is doing his damndest to call them that way). The only way we're going to get to a point to where we can do the things we want is through a combination of bringing in home-grown guys who believe and fit into the system, and who will get on the field and command games. I'm not happy with the losses, and I'm not happy with a lot of the calls, but I am happy with knowing that we finally have a system in place other than run Ricky 40 times a game and we're going after players that work in our system, rather than the fan favorites.

 

[themole]

Did you need more Saban threads that you started on the first page? Regardless, I'll take a stab at your numbers.

1. Weren't we eliminated from the playoffs last year too? Let's face it, we overacheived last year, and we all bought into the hype that we were a better team than the 4-12 one that preceded it. We were, but not by much. This year we're closer to where we need to be, like it or not. We started by cutting a lot of the dead weight last year, and this offseason is going to open some eyes.

2. I hate the Jets too, but they're just one L in the 6 we've accumulated so far. I'd trade the Titans win for the Jets one, but the NFL wouldn't let me. Not really an issue when youre talking about Saban's performance.

3. You see today a team that's had to be gutted, slashed, ripped apart, etc etc etc, in order to get it to a point that future success could be built. Last year was a bad year. This is a bad year. We're just going to have to suck it up until the process is finished. Don't like it? Tough. If we didn't cut anyone, and ended up with the same record as last year, would that make you happy?

4. NICK SABAN DOES NOT COACH THE OFFENSE. HE DOES NOT COME UP WITH PLAYS, AND DOES NOT CALL THEM UNLESS HE REALLY DISAGREES WITH HIS OC. *phew*

5. Of all of the players Saban has cut or traded, how many of them are superstars playing on other teams? Salary cap issues, age issues, and performance issues made it necessary to make changes. Sometimes you have to let go of good players in order to get to where you want to be. More and more young guys are entering the team though, and that is going to be very good, for a long time. Again, if we didn't cut anyone, and ended up with the same record as last year, would that make you happy? Sometimes progress can't be measured in numbers.

6. If Chris Chambers wants the ball, he's going to have to go back to his form a year ago. Simply put, once again he's the mediocre guy that has us slapping our heads in frustration with his gameplay. Matter of fact, most of our receivers have played horribly this year, no fire, no intensity. The one guy who does, Welker, is therefore leading the offense. Two questions in one.

7. I have no clue what goes on in practice, or what he's screaming about on the sidelines when things go wrong. I have no clue how his disciplinary technique is applied insofar as the Dolphins go. I do know, however, that he's not throwing people under the bus in public. I also know that he hasn't made any secret that if someone isn't getting it, they'll be let go. Just because he's working on making things better doesn't automatically mean he's going to bench half of his team. Why? Because he can't. He puts the best team he has on the field every week, and they're not executing. He's not trying to sit people, he's trying to get them to eliminate their mistakes. This isn't college, where making your guys do laps when they screw up works anymore. This is the pros, and he's doing exactly what needs to be done. Shula could afford to bench guys for mistakes, we can't. We don't have the number 1 quarterback of all time on our roster anymore. Dan had it - the it being the combination of physical tools, leadership, and just plain guts it took to drag an entire football team through a game with him. He never ever let up, and he refused to accept anyone else in the team doing so either. There is no field general like that on the Dolphin's roster now. There is no one on the field to force that kind of play out of the rest of the team. Look at Brady, at Manning. Those are quarterbacks, those are leaders on the field. When the Dolphins take the field, Saban can't play for them. He can't give them the confidence of knowing that no matter what, every game was winnable because you had guys that could, would and did drag you along for 60 minutes of football to get that win. We don't need press conferences or game plans so much as we need on-the-field leaders, players who won't give up and most of all players that won't tolerate their teammates being a bunch of jacktards on the field.

8. And most of our losses were one call, one made field goal, one more yard away from being wins. Doesn't have anything to do with Saban, and certainly doesn't change the W-L or the fact that we've got work ahead of us for the rest of the season and offseason.

Hot a Nasty Damn! That's a well thought out piece of writing. Hitting on all clyinders like a finely tuned Porsche.

 

[Finland]

The one thing that a lot of people won't see though, is that Saban doesn't call out his staff or players in public.

Really, I think he just says it different. Like..."Chambers is decent". What does Saban think of him this year? Better? Worse? I just wonder how his public statements have changed lately.

 

[PhinsRock]

Bravo!

Did you need more Saban threads that you started on the first page? Regardless, I'll take a stab at your numbers.

1. Weren't we eliminated from the playoffs last year too? Let's face it, we overacheived last year, and we all bought into the hype that we were a better team than the 4-12 one that preceded it. We were, but not by much. This year we're closer to where we need to be, like it or not. We started by cutting a lot of the dead weight last year, and this offseason is going to open some eyes.

2. I hate the Jets too, but they're just one L in the 6 we've accumulated so far. I'd trade the Titans win for the Jets one, but the NFL wouldn't let me. Not really an issue when youre talking about Saban's performance.

3. You see today a team that's had to be gutted, slashed, ripped apart, etc etc etc, in order to get it to a point that future success could be built. Last year was a bad year. This is a bad year. We're just going to have to suck it up until the process is finished. Don't like it? Tough. If we didn't cut anyone, and ended up with the same record as last year, would that make you happy?

4. NICK SABAN DOES NOT COACH THE OFFENSE. HE DOES NOT COME UP WITH PLAYS, AND DOES NOT CALL THEM UNLESS HE REALLY DISAGREES WITH HIS OC. *phew*

5. Of all of the players Saban has cut or traded, how many of them are superstars playing on other teams? Salary cap issues, age issues, and performance issues made it necessary to make changes. Sometimes you have to let go of good players in order to get to where you want to be. More and more young guys are entering the team though, and that is going to be very good, for a long time. Again, if we didn't cut anyone, and ended up with the same record as last year, would that make you happy? Sometimes progress can't be measured in numbers.

6. If Chris Chambers wants the ball, he's going to have to go back to his form a year ago. Simply put, once again he's the mediocre guy that has us slapping our heads in frustration with his gameplay. Matter of fact, most of our receivers have played horribly this year, no fire, no intensity. The one guy who does, Welker, is therefore leading the offense. Two questions in one.

7. I have no clue what goes on in practice, or what he's screaming about on the sidelines when things go wrong. I have no clue how his disciplinary technique is applied insofar as the Dolphins go. I do know, however, that he's not throwing people under the bus in public. I also know that he hasn't made any secret that if someone isn't getting it, they'll be let go. Just because he's working on making things better doesn't automatically mean he's going to bench half of his team. Why? Because he can't. He puts the best team he has on the field every week, and they're not executing. He's not trying to sit people, he's trying to get them to eliminate their mistakes. This isn't college, where making your guys do laps when they screw up works anymore. This is the pros, and he's doing exactly what needs to be done. Shula could afford to bench guys for mistakes, we can't. We don't have the number 1 quarterback of all time on our roster anymore. Dan had it - the it being the combination of physical tools, leadership, and just plain guts it took to drag an entire football team through a game with him. He never ever let up, and he refused to accept anyone else in the team doing so either. There is no field general like that on the Dolphin's roster now. There is no one on the field to force that kind of play out of the rest of the team. Look at Brady, at Manning. Those are quarterbacks, those are leaders on the field. When the Dolphins take the field, Saban can't play for them. He can't give them the confidence of knowing that no matter what, every game was winnable because you had guys that could, would and did drag you along for 60 minutes of football to get that win. We don't need press conferences or game plans so much as we need on-the-field leaders, players who won't give up and most of all players that won't tolerate their teammates being a bunch of jacktards on the field.

8. And most of our losses were one call, one made field goal, one more yard away from being wins. Doesn't have anything to do with Saban, and certainly doesn't change the W-L or the fact that we've got work ahead of us for the rest of the season and offseason.

Best post of the month! You nailed it! Bravo!

 

[RGF]

Good post Rich. Good luck trying to convince some people here that Saban is worse,thats right WORSE, then Wannstedt was as coach of the Dolphins. I sure as hell hope he gets his act together because the Dolphins are a joke right now. Oh,and you can expect the blind optimists to debate the facts as usual. God forbid we scold their golden boy Saban. People on these boards rather say "rah,rah go dolphins lets stay positive" then to yank Saban right off his undserved pedestal.

 

[LeftCoastFinFan]

Did you need more Saban threads that you started on the first page? Regardless, I'll take a stab at your numbers.


4. NICK SABAN DOES NOT COACH THE OFFENSE. HE DOES NOT COME UP WITH PLAYS, AND DOES NOT CALL THEM UNLESS HE REALLY DISAGREES WITH HIS OC. *phew*

I have a serious problem with this line of thinking. Saban is the HEAD coach and HAS to be responsible for both offense and defense. He can turn the play by play calling calling of the game over to the OC, but he should be directing the entire game to the point that if we are not running the ball enough, he corrects it. If we are going for it on 4th down, he should be the one to decide whether or not to run a trick play. Do you think Belichick is hands off on the offensive game just because he is a defensive coach by experience?
Saban should be intimately involved with the game time decisions of the offense or he is just a glorified DC.
:dolphins:

 

[RGF]

I have a serious problem with this line of thinking. Saban is the HEAD coach and HAS to be responsible for both offense and defense. He can turn the play by play calling calling of the game over to the OC, but he should be directing the entire game to the point that if we are not running the ball enough, he corrects it. If we are going for it on 4th down, he should be the one to decide whether or not to run a trick play. Do you think Belichick is hands off on the offensive game just because he is a defensive coach by experience?
Saban should be intimately involved with the game time decisions of the offense or he is just a glorified DC.
:dolphins:

:yeahthat:
The Dolphins have no direction right now. They are sloppy,unprepared,unmotivated,heartless,clueless,and every other negative you can think of. Now,let me think,who is responsible for all these things....Oh yeah,the head coach.

 

[p-double]

hey rich i agree with you about the secondary we still should have either surtain or madison here, madison is balling with the giants right now, surtain is getting roasted in KC