I think Jimbo has to be brought up as Saban's offensive success, and Miles (early on success) on offense. Okay, I'm willing to give Jimbo some credit, but bottom line, Saban has won 6 NCs w/4 different OCs (maybe 5?). Hard to give OCs the credit, but Jimbo was the best of the bunch in my book. Saban was the better for his hands on approach with the secondary early on. Miles was better for his personality, and go for it attitude. I can not say Saban was better at LSU, because he was not. It's unclear to me why you cannot get past technical/statistical information and see that Saban was better than Miles, even during his brief tenure at LSU. While a bit subjective, Saban clearly meets the eye test more than Miles, and certainly had a less frustrating tenure. Saban brought the excitement back to Tiger Stadium. Miles had his moments, but mostly deflated it. Alabama is a much different booster organization than LSU. How many probation's have they been on? Saban would never have been as successful here or Michigan State as Alabama and he wasn't. I think it was the perfect system, win at all costs. Saban and Bryant were perfect for that fanbase and boosters. Control, Control, Control While this may be true, I firmly believe Saban would have won just as many total NCs at LSU as he has in his career. He would have had full control and as much talent as he wanted/needed. Money unfortunately talks. No other organization in college football has two 6 National Championship coaches and there is a reason for it. Okay, good point.
Saban isn’t the same coach at Alabama that he was at LSU. He was really good but he had a strong desire to try the NFL and became distracted. After failing at Miami he was humbled and realized he had to make his mark in college. Likewise Alabama was desperate and gave him total control and whatever money he wanted. Had he stayed at LSU he likely wouldn’t have been the same coach. He needed to go through the crucible of failure and have the opportunity to rejuvenate. There is no comparison between the Saban of LSU and Alabama....
Just comparing overall LSU record--- Miles is better First five years ----- Miles is better Not talking about overall----just LSU records. When the question is asked who is the winning-est coach in LSU history its MIles Yes no doubt Saban is better when you look at Alabama. That's not the conversation. No way, in my opinion, he does the same thing at LSU ---his first five years at bama are better than his first five years at LSU and that is with a 7-6 first year record.
Saban was stilling growing as a coach. Whatever path he had taken whether it was to stay at LSU, try another NFL job or whatever would have led him to the point where he is now. With his fanatical attention to detail along with his burning desire to succeed he would have become one of the all time greatest no matter where he would have chosen to coach. Its just too bad he didn't choose to stay here.
Just comparing overall LSU record--- Miles is better First five years ----- Miles is better Again, you are strictly looking at numbers. Saban walked in the door needing to change psychology, academic support, recruiting prowess, facilities, etc, etc, etc. By year 4, he had changed it all, and won a NC. Miles walked in the door w/the deck stacked. Yeah, his record may technically be better, but he didn't have to overcome the growing pains Saban did. You are deluded by the numbers. Both are winners, but Saban had to build it, and Miles couldn't achieve the level of championships his talent reflected, despite his overall number of wins. 1 NC w/50+ NFL players? Come on, man? Not talking about overall----just LSU records. I know. When the question is asked who is the winning-est coach in LSU history its MIles - agreed. Winningest, Miles. Best, Saban. Yes no doubt Saban is better when you look at Alabama. That's not the conversation. It's the conversation I am choosing to have. There is no doubt in my mind Saban is the better coach, and had he spent 11 years at LSU, would be LSU's winningest, and would have had the same or close to the same # of overall NCs he's achieved in his college tenure. That's not to say Miles was not a quality coach w/good results. He was, and I am appreciative. But, he was not/is not as good as Saban. Whether at LSU or Bama, Saban was going to be the best college coach of all time, he just had to go blow his wad in the NFL first, to LSUs detriment. No way, in my opinion, he does the same thing at LSU ---his first five years at bama are better than his first five years at LSU and that is with a 7-6 first year record. You're entitled to your opinion. I disagree. He didn't have as much infrastructure rebuilding at Bama than he had at LSU, and he got a bit lucky with the schedule and the way the college football landscape played out his first few years at Bama. His first few teams weren't nearly as talented, and the NCs sort of fell in his lap. Later, his teams were more talented there, and the competition picked up, so IMO, his more recent NCs are even more impressive. If he stayed at LSU, the infrastructure and talent level he built would have just continued/expanded. Certainly, he would have done no worse than Miles, right? So, if Miles became the winningest coach 11 years after Saban and won 1 NC, imagine what Saban would have done with the same talent. It's not even close, really.
We won the 2001 SEC with Dinardo boys---- Are you really going to argue that Trev Faulk, Bradie James, Ryan Clark, Damien James etc.....were not great players. He was given a shit load of talent. Dinardo failed because his sensational coordinators Reece and Watts were gone. Not the talent. Lou Tepper was an idiot. Dinardo was doing very well when he had his coordinators. We recruited just fine with out the bidet in the toliet. Would Saban have beaten Florida with Tebow the year the madhatter went for it 5 times on 4th down. I do not believe he would. Florida was better talent wise. Bama was coming off a 5 year probation. They had allot of holes to fill. 7-6 was not Sabans fault. It always helps teams when boosters pay 150,000 to coaches to lure player to come to bama. Miles could not beat Bama or they could have played for more National Championships. Saban recruited better than we did. Come on man. Saban lost to Iowa before he left. Just poking a little fun into the conversation. Did you see my post earlier about the probations list of each college. Alabama is a lying cheating toss my salad program. F*** Alabama and F*** Nick Saban.
Are you really defending bama boosters paying high school coaches. It gave them a nice probation and there was talk about the death penalty. Dude!!!!!!!
More players Gerry D. in 2001: Josh Reed, Rohan Davey, Jarvis Green, Domanick Davis. Saban didn't beat Spurrier & Florida until Ron Zook took over. (Lost 1 to the Zooker) Losing record to Florida (2-3). He was tied up mighty Franchione (1-1) & beat Bambi Shula, was not coaching against himself, obviously. Saban had a losing record against Auburn & Tuberville at LSU. (2-3). First 5 seasons: Miles 66 total games. Won 51 - Lost 15 ---77.2% Saban 64 total games. Won 48 - Lost 16 ----75.0% Ranked teams defeated first 5: Miles -18 Saban - 14 Bowl Games: Miles - 4-1 Saban - 3-2
