I think it's too early to tell how well he's doing in terms of creating a winning team, but it's not too early to judge whether his coaching philosophy is being put into practice in a way that distinguishes the team from other teams or gives it the sense of a unique identity Saban intended.
There are a million reasons people can think of to explain why we haven't made the playoffs for example, and many of them may be right, but I don't think there are nearly as many reasons to explain why this team doesn't appear to have a "stamp" on it that comes from Saban's presence or is a product of his coaching philosophy.
With the amount of roster turnover we've had, I think it's safe to say he has "his" players, which means the only explanation for the absence of this "stamp" or distinctive identity is that his message just isn't getting through. In fact, the "stamp" I do see is the opposite of the one Saban preaches: for the most part I see lack of discipline, lack of proper technique and execution, and inconsistency.
That to me is the biggest concern going on right now. I'm patient enough to wait for the things to happen that create a winning team, but if I don't see signs that Saban's philosophy is being put into practice effectively, and in fact what I'm seeing is the opposite of that, then things are starting to get a little concerning.
