Will Coach Saban possibly move into the Top 5 College coaches of all-time?

With 4 National Championships in 10 years, he'd have to at least be in the discussion.

My own "top 5" would be limited to coaches who had 20+ years of track record.

I agree about the longevity point.

That said, yes, another NC would have to put Saban in the conversation.

He seems like a soulless robot in his interviews....one of the best coaches hands down though.

ILoveCleveland wrote: Will Coach Saban possibly move into the Top 5 College coaches of all-time?

With 4 National Championships in 10 years, he'd have to at least be in the discussion.

Maybe Top 10, not top 5.

Go look through the other thread of "Mount Rushmore of Coaches" you'll find a good 6-8 names that would stay ahead of Saban.

Then again, if we sit here 30 years from now and no other coach/team has rip off a mini-dynasty that would change the conversation. Context is important when judging all-time greats. You would want a a coach from each era and it's hard to argue agaisnt Saban for the last 30yrs or so.

ILoveCleveland wrote: Will Coach Saban possibly move into the Top 5 College coaches of all-time?

With 4 National Championships in 10 years, he'd have to at least be in the discussion.

In this day of limited scholarships, wall to wall media that covers not just Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, Michigan..... like the "good old days," and much greater distribution of talent nationwide, Saban's fourth championship (divided between two schools) in 10 years would be a greater accomplishment than Bud Wilkinson, Jimmy Johnson, Bear Bryant or any of the great college coaches ever accomplished.

Two of out of those ten years was spent in Miami, I believe. So really four titles in eight years, pretty unreal what Saban is trying to do.. JMO

truebuckeye99 wrote:

ILoveCleveland wrote: Will Coach Saban possibly move into the Top 5 College coaches of all-time?

With 4 National Championships in 10 years, he'd have to at least be in the discussion.

In this day of limited scholarships, wall to wall media that covers not just Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, Michigan..... like the "good old days," and much greater distribution of talent nationwide, Saban's fourth championship (divided between two schools) in 10 years would be a greater accomplishment than Bud Wilkinson, Jimmy Johnson, Bear Bryant or any of the great college coaches ever accomplished.

truebuckeye99 wrote:

ILoveCleveland wrote: Will Coach Saban possibly move into the Top 5 College coaches of all-time?

With 4 National Championships in 10 years, he'd have to at least be in the discussion.

In this day of limited scholarships, wall to wall media that covers not just Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, Michigan..... like the "good old days," and much greater distribution of talent nationwide, Saban's fourth championship (divided between two schools) in 10 years would be a greater accomplishment than Bud Wilkinson, Jimmy Johnson, Bear Bryant or any of the great college coaches ever accomplished.

That is kinda what I was saying in my comments. I agree that every year the parity becomes even greater but that can be said in almost every sport and you still have your G.O.A.T.s based on their era and what they did realtive to the rest of the landscape.

IF no one else does it again (which is very possible) his reign will seem even more impressive and he's in the arguement.

On the other hand, if UM pulls in two NCs at tOSU in the next 5-6 years, it will make Saban seem less godly. That's not my prediction, it's just a example.

ChiTownOSUnut wrote:

truebuckeye99 wrote:

ILoveCleveland wrote: Will Coach Saban possibly move into the Top 5 College coaches of all-time?

With 4 National Championships in 10 years, he'd have to at least be in the discussion.

In this day of limited scholarships, wall to wall media that covers not just Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, Michigan..... like the "good old days," and much greater distribution of talent nationwide, Saban's fourth championship (divided between two schools) in 10 years would be a greater accomplishment than Bud Wilkinson, Jimmy Johnson, Bear Bryant or any of the great college coaches ever accomplished.

That is kinda what I was saying in my comments. I agree that every year the parity becomes even greater but that can be said in almost every sport and you still have your G.O.A.T.s based on their era and what they did realtive to the rest of the landscape.

IF no one else does it again (which is very possible) his reign will seem even more impressive and he's in the arguement.

On the other hand, if UM pulls in two NCs at tOSU in the next 5-6 years, it will make Saban seem less godly. That's not my prediction, it's just a example.

On the other hand, what if Nick Saban not only wins his 4th tomorrow night, but wins 1 or 2 more over the course of the next 5 to 6 years?  

It is pretty impressive the two different schools makes it really impressive. I don't think he is going to leave so if he wins and if he stays he could really run off some titles. Why would kids not go to play for him. Titles and draft picks.

I'd put him 3rd, behind Bear Bryant and Woody.

BuckeyeZombie wrote: I'd put him 3rd, behind Bear Bryant and Woody.

I'd put Saban ahead of Woody. Had Woody brought home the goods in 1969, '70, 73, '74 or '75 when the national championship was right in front of the Buckeyes, he would be ahead of Saban. i dislike Saban, but the guy and his teams are closers.

Beating Michigan in 1969 would have given the then top-ranked Buckeyes back to back titles. The '70 team, when the Super Sophs were seniors, lost to an 8-3 Stanford team in the Rose Bowl. The '73 team was awesome but Woody's refusal to pass against Michigan doomed the Buckeyes to tie the Wolverines before hammering USC 42-21 in the Rose Bowl. In '74, the USC Trojans had an 88 yard TD drive and then hit a 2-point conversion to McKay's son as the Buckeyes lost the Rose Bowl 18-17 and a shot at the NC. in '75, despite the assistants' coaches plea to change the game plan from the first time they played UCLA, Woody kept business as usual as the undefeated and top-ranked Buckeyes lost to an 8-2-1 UCLA team it had hammered 41-20 earlier in the seaosn.

I'd put Saban right up there as the level of competition has leveled out in college football but Bama is really a step up lately.

BuckeyeZombie wrote: I'd put him 3rd, behind Bear Bryant and Woody.

"spoken like a real american" - bill cunningham

Yeah, I'd put him up there in the discussion for top 5 (if he isn't there already) but NCs aren't really the deciding factor for me due to how strange the system is. Think about it, Meyer has now had 2 undefeated seasons without having a chance to win the national title. How many sports can you say that about a team? It's impossible to really compare some of today's national title's to pre-BCS titles, or even some earlier BCS titles (remember, the formula has been changed more than once to favor different scenarios that got deserving teams left out before). And in two seasons we will have an even different method with a mini-playoff.

34011 wrote: Two of out of those ten years was spent in Miami, I believe. So really four titles in eight years, pretty unreal what Saban is trying to do.. JMO

truebuckeye99 wrote:

ILoveCleveland wrote: Will Coach Saban possibly move into the Top 5 College coaches of all-time?

With 4 National Championships in 10 years, he'd have to at least be in the discussion.

In this day of limited scholarships, wall to wall media that covers not just Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, Michigan..... like the "good old days," and much greater distribution of talent nationwide, Saban's fourth championship (divided between two schools) in 10 years would be a greater accomplishment than Bud Wilkinson, Jimmy Johnson, Bear Bryant or any of the great college coaches ever accomplished.

Counting your chickens before they hatch I see....

Sleezy recruiter and person. Great coach, however.

ILoveCleveland wrote: Will Coach Saban possibly move into the Top 5 College coaches of all-time?

With 4 National Championships in 10 years, he'd have to at least be in the discussion.

Yes because I don't consider coaches from the 1920's who dominated, as highly as people who dominate today.

SurfOhio wrote:

ILoveCleveland wrote: Will Coach Saban possibly move into the Top 5 College coaches of all-time?

With 4 National Championships in 10 years, he'd have to at least be in the discussion.

Yes because I don't consider coaches from the 1920's who dominated, as highly as people who dominate today.

How do you feel about the legacy of past athletes like Jesse Owens? His times/distances wouldn't even place at the Olympics today.

Jesse Owens wouldn't have made it to the final heat of the last 100 meters final in London, Carl Lewis would finish 6th, assuming both ran their best race ever. Both are some of the greatest athletes ever.

As a side note. This is fun: http://www.nytimes.com/interac...alist-ever.html

I will say that I'd put him up there as one of the greatest recruiters in college football although Pete Carroll and the collapse of USC definitely helped him.