Alabama HC Nick Saban Retires

Ndaccountant

Old Hoss
Messages
8,370
Reaction score
5,771
So, Norvell's a players coach. Dabo's a has-been. Lane's too goofy. Lanning and Sark say no thanks. So we're already down to either DeBoer or... Tommy?
I'm starting to think it's going to be something out of left field. Something like Brian Flores. Someone with ties to either Saban or Belichick, considering how close they are.
 

Polish Leppy 22

Well-known member
Messages
6,594
Reaction score
2,009
Sorry, but Norvell is all smoke and mirrors.

He's not a good recruiter. His classes at FSU have been ranked 27th, 20th, 26th, and 12th. That should NEVER happen at FSU. He was also unable to hang onto Travis Hunter and lost him to freakin' Jackson State. He lost both five stars he had committed this past year on signing day -- coming off a 13-0 season. He's reportedly not all that great in-house trying to close.

At Memphis, he inherited a program that was very strong coming off Justin Fuente's tenure. He didn't build anything at Memphis, he maintained their success.

FSU got very, very lucky in the Transfer Portal this past year, and they deserve all the credit in the world for 13-0. But we saw how his team matches up against elite competition in UGA (hint: not well). The LSU win this year was nice, but BK stinks in big games, and 6 of his other wins came against teams with losing records.

He's 1-4 in bowls. He routinely loses to teams that have equal talent to his squads. He's a very good offensive mind, but his teams lack toughness and he's not very good at developing OL and DL. He would be a disastrous hire and I don't believe he'd do better than 7-5, 8-4 type seasons in Tuscaloosa.

Bama should hire Deboer.
You don't go 13-0 with smoke and mirrors unless you're at UCF playing in the American Conference. FSU was an embarrassing shitshow in 2020 when he got there and led them to an undefeated season 3 years later.

Recruiting --- all I see with those numbers is improvement. And let's not kid ourselves. It's harder to recruit at FSU being in the ACC when all your neighbors are selling the SEC.

Memphis --- he inherited a strong program and kept it successful. That's a feather in his cap, not a down side.

Portal --- yep, FSU hit big time in the portal because they had to. Norvell got rid of a ton of bad apples when he got to FSU. He won't need the portal as much in future years. Again...kudos to him for using it when he needed to.

Bowls --- absolutely useless stat outside the CFP. The 90s are over. They're exhibition games with big time players not even playing. Shouldn't even play into this conversation.

Deboer --- had a great year at UW. Don't you have any curiosity about what that team will look like next year without Penix and the top 2 WRs? If you're Bama, the last thing you want is to hire Bryan Harsin 2.0 who does a crash and burn 2 years into the job because he realizes Tuscaloosa (and alllllll that comes with it) aint Boise or Seattle.
 
Last edited:

dublinirish

Everestt Gholstonson
Messages
27,326
Reaction score
13,091


Cancelled his radio spot this AM

pj8wsjeflhk81.jpg
 

Lberry

Banned
Messages
2,285
Reaction score
1,875
Guys Tommy is not going to come close, this is a courtesy to a respected on-staff coordinator. There's a better chance Michigan actually gets hammered with sanctions than Tommy getting close to the HC job. And there's little chance of that happening.

If Tommy wasn't already on the staff and they wanted to keep him happy, he wouldn't be on the top 20 list.
 

Katzenboyer

Well-known member
Messages
1,922
Reaction score
3,183
It won’t happen and I do think he’s more suited for the NFL, but given the culture Saban established, Vrabel would be the perfect guy for the job.

Him or Demeco Ryans would absolutely kill it there. Don't think either of those guys are options, though.
 

NDPhilly

Philly Torqued
Messages
16,441
Reaction score
16,721
Deboer is a hell of a coach, but interesting culture fit considering the guy has never coached in the south / SEC. Also not a great recruiter, so will be interesting to see how Bama supports him there.


Class like this is below what Peterson was bringing in at UW.
 

Me2SouthBend

Well-known member
Messages
2,637
Reaction score
3,201
Him or Demeco Ryans would absolutely kill it there. Don't think either of those guys are options, though.
Demeco Ryans, HC of a playoff team in the NFL and possible Coach of the year? And you think he may go coach at Bama? Did you eat crazy pills this morning? Of course they would kill it but there is less than zero chance they would consider going there.
 

Katzenboyer

Well-known member
Messages
1,922
Reaction score
3,183
You don't go 13-0 with smoke and mirrors unless you're at UCF playing in the American Conference. FSU was an embarrassing shitshow in 2020 when he got there and led them to an undefeated season 3 years later.

Recruiting --- all I see with those numbers is improvement. And let's not kid ourselves. It's harder to recruit at FSU being in the ACC when all your neighbors are selling the SEC.

Memphis --- he inherited a strong program and kept it successful. That's a feather in his cap, not a down side.

Portal --- yep, FSU hit big time in the portal because they had to. Norvell got rid of a ton of bad apples when he got to FSU. He won't need the portal as much in future years. Again...kudos to him for using it when he needed to.

Bowls --- absolutely useless stat outside the CFP. The 90s are over. They're exhibition games with big time players not even playing. Shouldn't even play into this conversation.

Deboer --- had a great year at UW. Don't you have any curiosity about what that team will look like next year without Penix and the top 2 WRs? If you're Bama, the last thing you want is to hire Bryan Harsin 2.0 who does a crash and burn 2 years into the job because he realizes Tuscaloosa (and alllllll that comes with it) aint Boise or Seattle.

We'll agree to disagree and I won't go point for point - I respect your opinion, just don't agree with it. But:

The recruiting "improvement" point is simply not correct. The five classes at FSU before Norvell's tenure were ranked 17th (Taggart's last class, the year he was fired), 10th, 5th, 2nd, and 3rd. Norvell hasn't improved FSU's recruiting; he's made it worse.
 
Last edited:

Katzenboyer

Well-known member
Messages
1,922
Reaction score
3,183
Demeco Ryans, HC of a playoff team in the NFL and possible Coach of the year? And you think he may go coach at Bama? Did you eat crazy pills this morning? Of course they would kill it but there is less than zero chance they would consider going there.

I mean I said I don't think he would do it, so I'm not sure why you're thinking I think it would be realistic LOL. Only reason why I mentioned it is because he's a Bama alum and he would, in fact, kill it there.
 

Lberry

Banned
Messages
2,285
Reaction score
1,875
I think the biggest thing with UW coach was the offense. Maybe that goes completely out the window? But hard to imagine what looks like the triple option of passing, flying at Bama.

I've never followed him as a coach so maybe this year was due to Penix, but that offense wont be popular at Bama.
 

IRISHDODGER

Blue Chip Recruit
Messages
8,044
Reaction score
6,110
You don't go 13-0 with smoke and mirrors unless you're at UCF playing in the American Conference. FSU was an embarrassing shitshow in 2020 when he got there and led them to an undefeated season 3 years later.

Recruiting --- all I see with those numbers is improvement. And let's not kid ourselves. It's harder to recruit at FSU being in the ACC when all your neighbors are selling the SEC.

Memphis --- he inherited a strong program and kept it successful. That's a feather in his cap, not a down side.

Portal --- yep, FSU hit big time in the portal because they had to. Norvell got rid of a ton of bad apples when he got to FSU. He won't need the portal as much in future years. Again...kudos to him for using it when he needed to.

Bowls --- absolutely useless stat outside the CFP. The 90s are over. They're exhibition games with big time players not even playing. Shouldn't even play into this conversation.

Deboer --- had a great year at UW. Don't you have any curiosity about what that team will look like next year without Penix and the top 2 WRs? If you're Bama, the last thing you want is to hire Bryan Harsin 2.0 who does a crash and burn 2 years into the job because he realizes Tuscaloosa (and alllllll that comes with it) aint Boise or Seattle.
And they’ll arguably be the toughest team on ND”s schedule next season
 

Jiggafini19Deux

Minister of Delayed Gratification
Messages
13,485
Reaction score
14,212
When considering all aspects of this as it relates to Alabama, Norvell has to be the better overall fit than DeBoer.
 

dublinirish

Everestt Gholstonson
Messages
27,326
Reaction score
13,091
i feel like nowadays any time there is a lull in confirmation or denial of any coaching story is because they are waiting on a school's videographer/socials to get a twitter video created. Nobody can just say anything in a statement anymore it has to be a video
 
Top