The Saban Growth Spurt

[ckparrothead]

Preface: I took a look at an old roster I found from early 2004 of guys that Wannstedt and Spielman had on the roster at some point (the list has 156 guys). A lot of the guys were perennial type training camp fodder. I figured, now that we have 16 undrafted free agents to go along with 6 drafted kids, and about 13 other free agent type pickups, we can start getting an idea of what Saban is doing to Miami's roster. All in all, positions are getting heavier by about 5 pounds a position (sometimes more), and getting taller as well.

Category....Saban Roster...WannSpiel Roster....Difference....Saban's Additions Only

Percentages
6'5" and Above …. 18.39% …. 8.97% …. + 9.42% …. 27.50%
6'3" to 6'4" .... …. 24.14% …. 28.21% …. - 4.07% …. 15.00%
6'2" players .... …. 16.09% …. 13.46% …. + 2.63% …. 25.00%
6'0" to 6'1" .... …. 22.99% …. 21.15% …. + 1.84% …. 22.50%
5'11" and Below …. 18.39% …. 26.92% …. - 8.53% …. 10.00%

Above 330 lbs. …. 1.15% …. 2.56% …. - 1.41% …. 2.50%
270 to 330 lbs. …. 29.89% …. 23.72% …. + 6.17% …. 32.50%
230 to 270 lbs. …. 24.14% …. 23.72% …. + 0.42% …. 27.50%
200 to 230 lbs. …. 27.59% …. 30.13% …. - 2.54% …. 22.50%
Below 200 lbs. …. 17.24% …. 18.59% …. - 1.35% …. 15.00%

Height Dimensions
DL Avg. Height …. 6040 …. 6030 …. + 1.00 inches …. 6043
LB Avg. Height …. 6009 …. 6003 …. + 0.50 inches …. 6016
DB Avg. Height …. 6000 …. 5110 …. + 0.90 inches …. 6005
OL Avg. Height …. 6043 …. 6042 …. + 0.10 inches …. 6055
QB Avg. Height …. 6030 …. 6023 …. + 0.70 inches …. 6025
TE Avg. Height …. 6033 …. 6036 …. - 0.30 inches …. 6033
WR Avg. Height …. 6000 …. 6003 …. - 0.30 inches …. 6000
RB Avg. Height …. 5112 …. 5112 …. No Change …. 5110

Weight Dimensions
DT Avg. Weight …. 306 …. 308 …. - 2 pounds …. 300
DE Avg. Weight …. 273 …. 266 …. + 7 pounds …. 278
LB Avg. Weight …. 237 …. 232 …. + 5 pounds …. 242
CB Avg. Weight …. 192 …. 187 …. + 5 pounds …. 194
S Avg. Weight …. 205 …. 203 …. + 2 pounds …. 206
OL Avg. Weight …. 319 …. 309 …. + 10 pounds …. 325
TE Avg. Weight …. 258 …. 253 …. + 5 pounds …. 260
WR Avg. Weight …. 200 …. 202 …. - 2 pounds …. 193
RB Avg. Weight …. 220 …. 215 …. + 5 pounds …. 222


1. Linebackers - Saban's additions are on average over an inch taller and 10 pounds heavier than the linebackers during the Wannstedt/Spielman era. Average height has gone up only 0.5 inches due to holdovers from WannSpiel era. Also it should be noted that some players listed as DL, could end up playing some LB in Saban's system, which would mean his average linebacker height is even higher.

2. D-Linemen - Saban's additions at DL have made a drastic change to the average height of our defensive linemen. Already the average height has grown an inch, through additions and subtractions. Should be noted that some of the DEs could be used at linebacker in the future. The weight of DTs is actually dropping, while the weight of DEs is going up drastically with new addition DEs averaging 12 pounds heavier than WannSpiel era DEs.

3. D-Backs - Saban's additions at DB are about 1.5 inches on average larger than the DBs that have cycled through Miami's roster under the WannSpiel era. DB average height has risen almost a full inch, with holdovers from previous era, and both CB weight and S weight are going up.

4. Offensive Linemen - Saban has not done much with the offensive line, adding only four linemen. Three of those linemen have been tackles which skews the height and weight difference of his additions, but we may be seeing a trend in that Saban prefers to add tackles and turn them into guards (and even centers). The average height of the OL Saban has added has been over an inch taller and 16 pounds heavier than WannSpiel era OL, however since there are only four of them, average height has not changed much, while average weight has gone up 10 pounds.

5. Offensive Skill Positions - Saban's record on the other offensive skill positions is erratic, and we may actually be getting smaller at these positions. Through our moves so far, Saban has not shown any preference for taller WRs or RBs, and may even prefer smaller players at the positions. RB is getting heavier but staying the same height. Getting rid of Fiedler improved our average QB height, but with the addition of Brock Berlin and Gus Frerotte at QB, Saban has not shown much propensity to get taller at the position. Still, Wannstedt showed an overwhelming propensity to grab 6'2" QBs. Average Tight End height is going down as well, but the average TE weight is going up.

 

[byroan]

Good post.

 

[Dol-Fan Dupree]

It does fit the idea of a one gap 4-3 defensive scheme that KB mentioned earlier.

That is something for people to get used to. The idea of having a defensive tackle who's job is to take up one gap rather than two in the old system.

 

[ckparrothead]

I would imagine Saban will grab a jumbo sized NT at some point which will raise the DT average pretty good, but so far the guys he has grabbed there have been taller and leaner.

 

[eltos_lightfoot]

Definitely interesting...good work CK, as always.

 

[fins1]

Nice work man. Very interesting.

 

[painnotpleasure]

Nice work. Interesting. But does bigger LB's mean that we'll eventually become a 3-4 defense? I know that we'll be testing the 3-4 this season which I think would be a good idea, but I have mixed feelings about permanently switching to the 3-4.

 

[dolfan4good]

Good Post CK. I wonder if we're getting faster as well.

 

[ChambersWI]

Nice work. Interesting. But does bigger LB's mean that we'll eventually become a 3-4 defense? I know that we'll be testing the 3-4 this season which I think would be a good idea, but I have mixed feelings about permanently switching to the 3-4.

the bigger lbs give us more options on d.

IMO it just makes our D more durable. Defenses with small LBs tend to be very good at the start of games, but they get worse has the game goes on because they are wearing themselves out easily.

 

[rainmaker1313]

:roflmao: Good post sure, but a little too much time on your hands!:roflmao:

 

[GRT8]

Nice work man. Very interesting.

YEAH NICE WORK.....SABAN DOES FOLLOW A CERTAIN CRITERIA WHEN IT COMES TO HIS PLAYERS..... I LIKE THE BIGGER PLAYERS AT CB AND LB!

 

[FIN-IN-RI]

Somebody explain to me why a thread like this has only 10 replies versus the one that says: "Yippie skippie! We have pics of Jay Fiedler as a jet" :shakeno:

Good work as always CK.

 

[Avalanche of Wins]

now all we need is a big fat gilbert brown type run stuffer and ill be happy

 

[painnotpleasure]

Somebody explain to me why a thread like this has only 10 replies versus the one that says: "Yippie skippie! We have pics of Jay Fiedler as a jet" :shakeno:

Good work as always CK.

Yeah, that's mind boggling. Well I hope CK knows that some people here appreciate that he took the time to figure that all out for us. Thanks. Good work CK.

 

[PhinFan0202]

Nice work. Interesting. But does bigger LB's mean that we'll eventually become a 3-4 defense? I know that we'll be testing the 3-4 this season which I think would be a good idea, but I have mixed feelings about permanently switching to the 3-4.

Not necessarily, due to the success of the 3-4 defense by such teams as the Pats and Steelers, most teams are going to be looking to stop this defense. I think we will probably line up in a base 3-4, but show alot of different blitzes and fronts.