Saban may be beginning to tire

[AUght2win 6,818]

Hear me out. Could be just wishful thinking. But the Sark hire baffles me. It strikes me as a move that CNS absolutely would not have made even just 5 years ago. Instead of scouring the country for the very best coordinator option, as most elite coaches (himself included) do, he settled for a familiar face with a mediocre resume. Especially considering he bolted from Bama after one game at coordinator previously.

Virtually all of Saban's assistants have left in a two year span. It has to be exhausting trying to find the right guys to make up his staff. Especially since good assistants are vital to a CEO coach like Saban.

We will know more in a couple weeks. But if CNS staffs up with mainly just familiar faces like Sunseri and Sark, to me it would signify he is growing tired and doesn't have the drive he once had. 

[GwillMac6 20,607]

31 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

Hear me out. Could be just wishful thinking. But the Sark hire baffles me. It strikes me as a move that CNS absolutely would not have made even just 5 years ago. Instead of scouring the country for the very best coordinator option, as most elite coaches (himself included) do, he settled for a familiar face with a mediocre resume. Especially considering he bolted from Bama after one game at coordinator previously.

Virtually all of Saban's assistants have left in a two year span. It has to be exhausting trying to find the right guys to make up his staff. Especially since good assistants are vital to a CEO coach like Saban.

We will know more in a couple weeks. But if CNS staffs up with mainly just familiar faces like Sunseri and Sark, to me it would signify he is growing tired and doesn't have the drive he once had. 

The falcons were 6th in the NFL in total offense this past season. He was not the falcons problem this season. 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,641]

3 hours ago, GwillMac6 said:

The falcons were 6th in the NFL in total offense this past season. He was not the falcons problem this season. 

Not saying you're wrong, but no ATL fan I have ever seen has ever spoken in any positive manner about Sark, plus with that accord of talent, I could at least command a top 10 O for the Falcons.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,641]

I dont think Alabama is anywhere close to done (which isnt to say that's what you're implying), but they've had a very rough offseason. I think Saban tried his best to stop the bleeding and swim back to level land. None of the hires are truly inspiring though. Its hard to read into a hire as awful as Sark, but all I could assume is that Nick wants to take it a couple years back to when Alabama was steady offensively but could depend more on their defense? I really dont know. Sark though...I honestly didnt see any way, even with all the departures, that Alabama could've avoided running a train on the SEC again unless they made a hire that poor 

[Gowebb11 9,308]

I hope this thread is accurate and the end is near. The coaching carousel in Tuscaloosa sure seems to have caught up to them. But as long as they go into games with superior talent across the board, the machine is likely to keep rolling. I’m afraid Sark will be like Locksley; he will look a lot more competent with 5 star talent all over the field. 

[Auctoritas 2,826]

3 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Not saying you're wrong, but no ATL fan I have ever seen has ever spoken in any positive manner about Sark, plus with that accord of talent, I could at least command a top 10 O for the Falcons.

QFT. Dude called as many baffling play calls as I've seen from AU over the past few years.

Granted, this year wasn't entirely his fault, someone in NO clearly had pulled out the Falcons voodoo dolls.

[ChltteTiger 649]

1 hour ago, Gowebb11 said:

I hope this thread is accurate and the end is near. The coaching carousel in Tuscaloosa sure seems to have caught up to them. But as long as they go into games with superior talent across the board, the machine is likely to keep rolling. I’m afraid Sark will be like Locksley; he will look a lot more competent with 5 star talent all over the field. 

This is what we will see as long as the opposing teams have lower Top 40 talent (or worse), Its time for superior talent teams like LSU (AU too) to get the monkey off their backs and man up and play Bama like they know they can win. Clemson certainly met the challenge.

[GwillMac6 20,607]

12 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Not saying you're wrong, but no ATL fan I have ever seen has ever spoken in any positive manner about Sark, plus with that accord of talent, I could at least command a top 10 O for the Falcons.

I get that is the narrative that Sark is awful but the 2 years he was OC they had a top 10 offense. 6 this past season and 8 last year. Defense is what let them down this year and all the injuries. Last year they made the playoffs and won a road playoff game. So that was a pretty successful season coming off a massive super bowl loss hangover. Going from the NFL to college with bama and the superior talent that they have over everyone in the sec will make it seem like going from playing chess to checkers. It will be so much easier for him.

[AUght2win 6,818]

8 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

I get that is the narrative that Sark is awful but the 2 years he was OC they had a top 10 offense. 6 this past season and 8 last year. Defense is what let them down this year and all the injuries. Last year they made the playoffs and won a road playoff game. So that was a pretty successful season coming off a massive super bowl loss hangover. Going from the NFL to college with bama and the superior talent that they have over everyone in the sec will make it seem like going from playing chess to checkers. It will be so much easier for him.

This isn't exactly true though. You may be quoting total yards. They were 9th and 15th in scoring offense, which is the only stat that matters.

[GwillMac6 20,607]

1 minute ago, AUght2win said:

This isn't exactly true though. You may be quoting total yards. They were 9th and 15th in scoring offense, which is the only stat that matters.

I said total offense. I mean it is not like I was trying to hide what baseline I was using for my argument. But anyways. Bama can insert any OC in with the talent they have and be super successful. Locksley was NEVER known as a good coach. Just a good recruiter at all of his coaching stops. I do not think he had even called plays before this year. And he had them looking like the greatest show on turf 99 rams for most of the season. But we know it was not him. It is about the great talent they have. If they can win a natty with Brian Daboll as OC they can win with anyone as OC. People always try to predict Sabans demise but I do not think it will be anytime soon. That dude is just wired differently unfortunately for us.

[AUght2win 6,818]

1 minute ago, GwillMac6 said:

I said total offense. I mean it is not like I was trying to hide what baseline I was using for my argument. But anyways. Bama can insert any OC in with the talent they have and be super successful. Locksley was NEVER known as a good coach. Just a good recruiter at all of his coaching stops. I do not think he had even called plays before this year. And he had them looking like the greatest show on turf 99 rams for most of the season. But we know it was not him. It is about the great talent they have. If they can win a natty with Brian Daboll as OC they can win with anyone as OC. People always try to predict Sabans demise but I do not think it will be anytime soon. That dude is just wired differently unfortunately for us.

Well I think lack of good assistants was the reason for 44-16. I think Saban knows that too. Yet he isn't making much of an effort to improve his staff. Strikes me as a guy that isn't as obsessed anymore.

[GwillMac6 20,607]

6 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

Well I think lack of good assistants was the reason for 44-16. I think Saban knows that too. Yet he isn't making much of an effort to improve his staff. Strikes me as a guy that isn't as obsessed anymore.

Hiring a guy who was the Atlanta Falcons OC and despite the narrative on him YES he is a good OC and yes the falcons had a good offense is a big upgrade over Mike frickin Locksley. I would say he def improved his staff right there. He let Tosh go to the Browns as DL coach because he knows dude is a lot better recruiter than he is coach. So yah I am sure he is looking to improve his DC as well.

[AUght2win 6,818]

25 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

Hiring a guy who was the Atlanta Falcons OC and despite the narrative on him YES he is a good OC and yes the falcons had a good offense is a big upgrade over Mike frickin Locksley. I would say he def improved his staff right there. He let Tosh go to the Browns as DL coach because he knows dude is a lot better recruiter than he is coach. So yah I am sure he is looking to improve his DC as well.

You're missing the lead. Sark left Saban high and dry after one friggin game as OC. Saban pulled this guy out of the gutter, offered him a job when nobody else would, and how does Sark repay him? Bolting. 

For someone as spiteful, petty, and angry as Nick Saban is, to rehire a guy thay did that to him just 2 years ago is amazing to me. 

[KolchakAU85 430]

Sal Sunseri left LSU after just one season under Saban, and I remember seeing Saban's new conference as he announced Sunseri's resignation.  He was clearly pissed at Sunseri.  He made no attempt to hide it.  He openly questioned Sunseri's loyalty, yet hired him back years later.  Twice now.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,641]

4 hours ago, GwillMac6 said:

I said total offense. I mean it is not like I was trying to hide what baseline I was using for my argument. But anyways. Bama can insert any OC in with the talent they have and be super successful. Locksley was NEVER known as a good coach. Just a good recruiter at all of his coaching stops. I do not think he had even called plays before this year. And he had them looking like the greatest show on turf 99 rams for most of the season. But we know it was not him. It is about the great talent they have. If they can win a natty with Brian Daboll as OC they can win with anyone as OC. People always try to predict Sabans demise but I do not think it will be anytime soon. That dude is just wired differently unfortunately for us.

Well I was assuming you meant points as well, that's my bad. Yards are useless and the biggest narrative surrounding the ATL offense wasn't a lack of yards, it was them having literally nothing drawn up for the red zone, during his tenure

Im not arguing he'll be a total failure at Bama, but he's one of those guys that's going to severely stunt whatever was succeeding beforehand 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,641]

3 hours ago, KolchakAU85 said:

Sal Sunseri left LSU after just one season under Saban, and I remember seeing Saban's new conference as he announced Sunseri's resignation.  He was clearly pissed at Sunseri.  He made no attempt to hide it.  He openly questioned Sunseri's loyalty, yet hired him back years later.  Twice now.

yeah Saban has proven thousands of times he doesnt like when guys leave vs him forcing them out, I really think the examples of that this previous offseason hurt him in trying to get better coordinators. I'd hope guys like Sunseri and Sark weren't his top of the barrel names

[PigskinPat 2,568]

Until 1) they stop hauling in #1 recruiting classes year after year and 2) they start losing 2 or more games a year I won’t get my hopes up.

[GwillMac6 20,607]

27 minutes ago, PigskinPat said:

Until 1) they stop hauling in #1 recruiting classes year after year and 2) they start losing 2 or more games a year I won’t get my hopes up.

Pretty much this. When will people learn When you have a Great Head Coach having a great staff matters less and less. Auburn has been the king of having really good staffs. Just have never managed to get the Head Coach right since Dye when it comes to a consistent winner that we crave. The hardest thing to get is the great Head Coach. Not the staff. 

[AUght2win 6,818]

33 minutes ago, PigskinPat said:

Until 1) they stop hauling in #1 recruiting classes year after year and 2) they start losing 2 or more games a year I won’t get my hopes up.

Who recruits these classes? The fans? 

[AUght2win 6,818]

4 minutes ago, GwillMac6 said:

Pretty much this. When will people learn When you have a Great Head Coach having a great staff matters less and less. Auburn has been the king of having really good staffs. Just have never managed to get the Head Coach right since Dye when it comes to a consistent winner that we crave. The hardest thing to get is the great Head Coach. Not the staff. 

I disagree. The staffs recruit and they develop. We have had so many highlt touted players in the Malzahn era that, with the right coaching, could have been so much better. Kris Frost, Tre Williams, Trovon Reed, Ricardo Louis, Gabe Wright, Peyton Barber, to name a few.

Then there are guys we whiffed on, that I am not convinced are just busts. Roc Thomas, Kyle Davis, Stanton Truitt, Jeremy Johnson, Kiehl Frazier, Cowart, etc. I think some of these guys were straight up busts. But I bet some were just guys our staff couldn't get through to and help them realize their potential.

[GwillMac6 20,607]

2 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

I disagree. The staffs recruit and they develop. We have had so many highlt touted players in the Malzahn era that, with the right coaching, could have been so much better. Kris Frost, Tre Williams, Trovon Reed, Ricardo Louis, Gabe Wright, Peyton Barber, to name a few.

Then there are guys we whiffed on, that I am not convinced are just busts. Roc Thomas, Kyle Davis, Stanton Truitt, Jeremy Johnson, Kiehl Frazier, Cowart, etc. I think some of these guys were straight up busts. But I bet some were just guys our staff couldn't get through to and help them realize their potential.

We have had good staffs for the most part. The head man Gustav is the problem. I really do lay it all on him. Though I have been underwhelmed by his hires lately on the offensive side of the ball besides my guy Porter. Look at Lance Thompson. Dude looked like a world beater as a developer and a recruiter at bama. Was pretty meh at every other stop he has been at. Boom just gave him the boot at USC Lite.

[PigskinPat 2,568]

20 hours ago, AUght2win said:

Who recruits these classes? The fans? 

I’m not sure I follow you.

[AUght2win 6,818]

6 hours ago, PigskinPat said:

I’m not sure I follow you.

I'm saying the staff members recruit. A bad staff and the recruiting will start to slip. That's yet to be seen though.

[PigskinPat 2,568]

9 hours ago, AUght2win said:

I'm saying the staff members recruit. A bad staff and the recruiting will start to slip. That's yet to be seen though.

Agree 100%. I thought that’s what you meant, but wasn’t sure.

[doc4aday 1,887]

I see bammer at bit like Rome; Was great for a long time, but the end was inevitable.  Rome had the worlds best soldiers, but fell when the cracks in their armor became to great to compensate for. Yes, they tear it up in recruiting, but all good things (bad imho) will come to an end. The Doc is going to add to his stellar prediction list and predict that 2022 will be Saban's final season. It could come in 2021, but 2022 seems like a good year for great things to start happening for Auburn football in that we will start a long and prosperous climb to the top of the football world and will have a long run similar to bammer. Just my take on a rainy Saturday night the the cold mountains of North Carolina.

Yes, there are chinks in Saban's armor that are starting to grow larger each passing season.