Saban Theory

[wagz]

First off, let me just say that Nick Saban is a great coach and that i think he is doing a very good job so far. Now that I've said that, i think we shouldn't expect any great drafts like this past years was after this year. I think that Saban is a good drafter and everything but he based a lot of who he drafted on how the players he picked played against or for him in college. He chose Travis Daniels because he recruted him in LSU and he said he went with Ronnie Brown over Caddilac Williams because when LSU played them Ronnie was destroying them and Caddilac wasn't getting much done.

In a few years when Saban will not have played against all of these players he's probably going to make a few mistakes.

I had to say this because of everyone saying it's certain we will win a SuperBowl with Nick as our coach, i don't think it's a long shot but i think we will need a little more than Saban basing his draft on his college coaching carear.

 

[tmny99]

Are you serious?? Saban used his inside knowledge on those guys to get steals in the draft. With as much attention that he pays to detail, don't you think that Saban & Co. are doing a very thorough job evaluating every player in the draft. He even brought in Randy Mueller, whose got an eye for QBs. He's basing this team's draft on his knowledge of the SEC, for the first time, we have a coach that will actually take the best player available.

 

[wagz]

Are you serious?? Saban used his inside knowledge on those guys to get steals in the draft. With as much attention that he pays to detail, don't you think that Saban & Co. are doing a very thorough job evaluating every player in the draft. He even brought in Randy Mueller, whose got an eye for QBs. He's basing this team's draft on his knowledge of the SEC, for the first time, we have a coach that will actually take the best player available.

im not saying he's going to do a bad job I'm just saying he's doing so good that it will look bad once he finally can't use his college expierence to his advantage

 

[motioncityhifi]

First off, let me just say that Nick Saban is a great coach and that i think he is doing a very good job so far. Now that I've said that, i think we shouldn't expect any great drafts like this past years was after this year. I think that Saban is a good drafter and everything but he based a lot of who he drafted on how the players he picked played against or for him in college. He chose Travis Daniels because he recruted him in LSU and he said he went with Ronnie Brown over Caddilac Williams because when LSU played them Ronnie was destroying them and Caddilac wasn't getting much done.

In a few years when Saban will not have played against all of these players he's probably going to make a few mistakes.

I had to say this because of everyone saying it's certain we will win a SuperBowl with Nick as our coach, i don't think it's a long shot but i think we will need a little more than Saban basing his draft on his college coaching carear.

i really dont think he based his whole draft on his college career. i think what he did was use that knowledge to his advantage and used it to help him make choices. saban and mueller are always going to do a through job evaluating on prospects.

 

[KevInMotion]

saban knows what it takes to be a stud at the college, AND pro level. he sitll has insights and pipelines in the college recruiting and scouting area. im sure he still watches college football, and talks to his buddies who are coaches. and he is a freak on details and miniscule points. he knows what the heck he is doing. he isnt going to lose his talent evaluating skills. get outta here

 

[xxAQUA JOSHUAxx]

Omg he is one of the best drafters because he drafted a franchize outside linbacker in the 3rd round but he does know the value of players. yeah he gave up alot of picks this year but hes just adding to the great team we have

 

[motioncityhifi]

im not saying he's going to do a bad job I'm just saying he's doing so good that it will look bad once he finally can't use his college expierence to his advantage

i really dont think it matters. saban always has had a good eye for talent. saban mueller wont always have great drafts but they wont have horrible drafts either.

 

[Psychosikes]

i can't count how many times i've read the acronym bpa on this website... i'm bored so i'm going to expose a little flaw in saban's draft strategy: if the bpa in each of the seven rounds (or for this year: rounds 1,3,4,7,7,7) was -for this little hypothetical- a tailback... would we end up with an abundance of tailbacks on our roster?!?!?

NO! So we would pick based on need to some extent :)

God i need something to do...

 

[phinzi]

In my opinion, the most important thing is to have a 'network' of people that can advise you regarding players. Once that is established you can dig into specific players. We know Saban helped Belichik while he was in college. I am sure Saban has his contacts still at the college level.

 

[Disgustipate]

If Saban is a good GM, he's going to be a good GM regardless. I dont think losing that college familiarity is going to hurt alot. I'm sure it helps, but it helps having contacts still in the college game.

There have been plenty of college coaches who couldnt tell a turd from that mornings breakfast. Look at Butch Davis or Steve Spurrier. A good GM, like say, Jimmy Johnson(Besides RBs) is going to continue to be a good GM after the guys he recruited have all moved on.

 

[Pauly]

Jimmy Johnson had a great record as a drafter in his initial spell at Dallas when he had actual experience of coaching with/against his draftees. When JJ came to Miami his drafting skills deteriorated. I wouldn't say JJ was a Wannstadt/Spielman like failure as a drafter, but his drafts in Miami weren't as productive as those in Dallas.

Saban will have a similar edge for his first 2 or 3 drafts, then he'll be in the same boat as everybody else in trying to evaluate talent that he hasn't directly coached or coached against.

 

[emale2u1]

Jimmy Johnson had a great record as a drafter in his initial spell at Dallas when he had actual experience of coaching with/against his draftees. When JJ came to Miami his drafting skills deteriorated. I wouldn't say JJ was a Wannstadt/Spielman like failure as a drafter, but his drafts in Miami weren't as productive as those in Dallas.

Saban will have a similar edge for his first 2 or 3 drafts, then he'll be in the same boat as everybody else in trying to evaluate talent that he hasn't directly coached or coached against.

who did he pick for the dolphins???? ummm ...JT, Surtain, Zach... your right his best drafts were in Dallas. :confused: :confused:

 

[BadBrad1703]

who did he pick for the dolphins???? ummm ...JT, Surtain, Zach... your right his best drafts were in Dallas. :confused: :confused:

I hear ya those were some bad names to draft .

 

[PROUDMONKEY]

Good post, but I think everyone is either unaware or forgetting a few small details...

1) Coach Bill Belicheck(sp?) has called Nick Saban his Mentor.

2) The system that Coach Bill B used in Cleveland and New England for scouting talent was created by Coach Bill B and Nick Saban.This is the primary system used in New England during since Bills tenure there.

3)This is not Nicks second year drafting in the NFL. He has a few years under his belt in the NFL as an assistant prior to last year.

Living less than an Hour from Tiger stadium in Louisiana, I have followed Nick for both his LSU tenure and of course last year. One of the first things I did when he became coach at Miami was go read his book How Good do you want To Be?

I think if you read this book, you will remove all doubts about this mans ability to construct a winning football team thru both the draft and free agency.

 

[Hasta]

In my opinion, the most important thing is to have a 'network' of people that can advise you regarding players. Once that is established you can dig into specific players. We know Saban helped Belichik while he was in college. I am sure Saban has his contacts still at the college level.

That is a very good point. Shula never drafted as well after Bear Bryant died...probably isn't too hard to figure out why.