Saban likes a big staff.

[AUdaREALsecTigers 2]

Well Nick has hired all 37 assistants. At least it seems like 37. I've read this elsewhere and heard it on Finebaum today (forced to listen occasionally), but a lot of bama fans aren't too happy with the staff he's assembled. The best that I've heard on any of them, and its said about each of them is "he's a good recruiter." Can any of them coach?

[BamaGrad03 0]

Kevin Steele was next in line to take Diddy's job when he left FSU.

Major Applewhite turned Rice's offense into something pretty potent...and their first and second string QB were out all year.

[WinCrimson 61]

Nah.

I'm very pleased. Steele, Applewhite, Burns, and Thompson are the biggest fish he caught.

[runswithscissors 33]

time will tell. i know there was a nuclear meltdown (http://www.aunation.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5284) here when al borges was hired on. but then a year later everyone was "honking his bobo" as yall would put it. just because a coach hasn't made it at a huge program doesn't mean they aren't good. everyone has to start somewhere. i don't think its fair to make an assumption on what a coach will or will not do at this point. everyone here loves to jump on any bama fan who puts up his opinion that bama will actually be good again with the argument "they haven't even played a down yet; how delusional". but then you have AU folks here actually copying the schedule and putting down what games will be won/lost, what games that there is just no way will be won. again, they haven't even played a down yet. so its not really fair to judge. just my .02

[tiger88 934]

I heard he begged for a big staff and they finally gave it to him. He is content now and has said that size does matter when it comes to staffs.

[AUdaREALsecTigers 2]

time will tell. i know there was a nuclear meltdown (http://www.aunation.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5284) here when al borges was hired on. but then a year later everyone was "honking his bobo" as yall would put it. just because a coach hasn't made it at a huge program doesn't mean they aren't good. everyone has to start somewhere. i don't think its fair to make an assumption on what a coach will or will not do at this point. everyone here loves to jump on any bama fan who puts up his opinion that bama will actually be good again with the argument "they haven't even played a down yet; how delusional". but then you have AU folks here actually copying the schedule and putting down what games will be won/lost, what games that there is just no way will be won. again, they haven't even played a down yet. so its not really fair to judge. just my .02

Can't argue with that. And I'm not saying they're all gonna suck. But, much like Borges, I just hadn't heard of some of those guys before.

[WinCrimson 61]

If the new staff can mold like your assistants have, we'll be just fine.

Having Borges, Muschamp, and Gran on the staff is like having 3 more head coaches. I can't lie, CTT has done a helluva job when it comes to hiring assistants.

[quietfan 233]

If the new staff can mold like your assistants have, we'll be just fine.

Having Borges, Muschamp, and Gran on the staff is like having 3 more head coaches. I can't lie, CTT has done a helluva job when it comes to hiring assistants.

Appreciate the compliment (or acknowledgement of the truth?).

And I'm withholding judgement of Saban's staff until we see the product on the field. Obviously, as an old AU fan, I'd be happy to see them fall flat on their collective faces. But I have no reason to automatically assume that yet and will give them the benefit of the doubt until well into next fall.

Will be interesting to have a few questions answered:

1) Can someone teach your O-line to block?

2) Will there finally be some sensible play calling after four years of Shularadar ball?

3) How much of Nick's LSU success was due to him vs. due to great coordinators like Fisher & Muschamp?

4) Post-Kines defense?

I want to wish you good luck, but to be honest, that would make me a hypocrite and a liar. I think the state has imported enough of those in the last couple of months.

[80Tiger 904]

Kevin Steele was next in line to take Diddy's job when he left FSU.

Major Applewhite turned Rice's offense into something pretty potent...and their first and second string QB were out all year.

Steele was going to replace Bowden?? I don't know about that.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Kevin Steele was next in line to take Diddy's job when he left FSU.

Major Applewhite turned Rice's offense into something pretty potent...and their first and second string QB were out all year.

Steele was going to replace Bowden?? I don't know about that.

He was. It was common knowledge around FSU circles. A lot of them were pretty mad when he left...for that very reason.

[WAR-MATT 2]

Kevin Steele was next in line to take Diddy's job when he left FSU.

Major Applewhite turned Rice's offense into something pretty potent...and their first and second string QB were out all year.

Steele was going to replace Bowden?? I don't know about that.

He was. It was common knowledge around FSU circles. A lot of them were pretty mad when he left...for that very reason.

Not to discredit Steele because I think he is the best coach on the UA staff. But it was common knowledge when Jeff Bowden was let go who was coming in to replace him (Jimbo) and that he would be given the HC job when Diddy retires. This along with Diddy wanting to bring Amato back.

Steele knew this and it was one of the reasons why he left.

[DKW 86 7,450]

Kevin Steele was next in line to take Diddy's job when he left FSU.

Major Applewhite turned Rice's offense into something pretty potent...and their first and second string QB were out all year.

DANG! Someone ought to tell Mickey Andrews that.

Not to argue BG, but you could say something projectively like that anytime, anyplace, about anyone. We heard for years from folks at the papers and on radio that Perkins was Bear's designated replacement. We are now told he only ever wanted Stallings. Yeah right, no one can prove any of that.

These "next in line" comments are just fluff. We dont know 1% of the stuff going on behind the scenes. We all thought Bill Oliver was "next in line" at a while back too.

As for the staff, wait till they play. You never know about a staff. On paper, looks like a great staff. On paper, looks like a pretty good one too. When we hired Borges, I thought he was a pure mistake, until I heard from CTT WHY we hired him. I wanted the guy that is now HC at Boise State. We interviewed him as well. And who knows? Hawkins was all world at Boise St and looks awful at Colorado. You just never know.

[autiger518 1]

Kevin Steele was next in line to take Diddy's job when he left FSU.

Major Applewhite turned Rice's offense into something pretty potent...and their first and second string QB were out all year.

Steele was going to replace Bowden?? I don't know about that.

He was. It was common knowledge around FSU circles. A lot of them were pretty mad when he left...for that very reason.

I know some big time FSU boosters in no way was Steele ever mentioned for replacing Papa Bowden at FSU.

Like everyone else has said we shall see when they hit the field...the proof is in the pudding.