Question: How long would it take Coach Saban to win a NC at a "low-end" program?

[jdhogg]

Not that i foresee Coach Saban leaving Alabama for anything but retirement, but i'm curious. How long do you think it would take Coach Saban to win a national championship at a school like Northwestern, Colorado, or Syracuse for example? Basically any school who has been performing poorly while still being in a BCS conference. As you all know, it took him 3 years here where he almost instantly got the recruits he wanted, and already had top notch facilities.

I would say either 5 or 6 years. Thoughts?

 

[Bamaro]

Maybe never

 

[jdhogg]

Maybe never

post count up! great discussion

 

[CullmanTide]

Well lets see... how long did it take him at LSU?

 

[jdhogg]

Well lets see... how long did it take him at LSU?

LSU is a different scenario. It's in the SEC and the state of louisiana has plenty of talented high school players to choose from. A place like syracuse for instance, he would have to make do with sub-par talent for at least 3 years. I doubt talented recruits would want to go play football at syracuse until they start winning lots of games consistently.

 

[cbi1972]

Well lets see... how long did it take him at LSU?

Or Michigan State?

 

[CullmanTide]

LSU is a different scenario. It's in the SEC and the state of louisiana has plenty of talented high school players to choose from. A place like syracuse for instance, he would have to make do with sub-par talent for at least 3 years. I doubt talented recruits would want to go play football at syracuse until they start winning lots of games consistently.

At the time CNS took over LSU they were very much a low end program.

 

[mittman]

At the time CNS took over LSU they were very much a low end program.

True, but he has often stated that he saw the potential to be a championship contender there and went for that reason.

To answer the question, at this point in his carrer he would have a better shot than earlier, but it would still be difficult.

 

[Alasippi]

At the time CNS took over LSU they were very much a low end program.

At the time Coach Saban took over Alabama we were very much a low end program as well.

Seriously though, both LSU and Bama had the recruiting base and facilities to attract great talent with the right coach.

I'll say that Coach Saban might and I emphasize "might" have possibly won a title at Michigan State if everything fell into place.
For example...Mark Ingram would probably have signed with Michigan State if Saban had still been there etc., and they've been pretty good since he developed their foundation. Who knows?

But even Coach Saban couldn't win a title at a Syracuse or a Northwestern. Colorado? Maybe.

The problem is that these schools might pool up enough to hire Coach S. but they couldn't afford the great assistants he needs nor the facilities he requires.

But he's still the best coach in the modern era by far and I consider the modern era to have started around 1990.

sip

 

[jps1983]

Agree with Alasippi. Some schools really cannot make the cut with any coaching staff because there will always be the big programs out there to take better players and still have good coaches. It's not like we're saying every team starts with equal footing; if he went somewhere bad and they struggled (a very good likelihood), even a great coach can't make lesser players the best out there. I think CNS could make any team competitive in their respective conference, but putting him at Indiana does not guarantee them a NC. Jimmy's and Joe's normally beat x's and o's.

 

[BamaFanatJSU]

The first post of this thread reminds me of each time I crank up a new dynasty on NCAA '13 and take my recruiting talents, can-do attitude and penchant for big wins to a school like Army, Idaho, or UAB. It typically takes me 6-7 years if I simulate every game instead of playing/winning them all.

 

[Alasippi]

Agree with Alasippi. Some schools really cannot make the cut with any coaching staff because there will always be the big programs out there to take better players and still have good coaches. It's not like we're saying every team starts with equal footing; if he went somewhere bad and they struggled (a very good likelihood), even a great coach can't make lesser players the best out there. I think CNS could make any team competitive in their respective conference, but putting him at Indiana does not guarantee them a NC. Jimmy's and Joe's normally beat x's and o's.

"It' the Jimmy's and Joe's and not X's and O's that win football games"
Paul "Bear" Bryant"

Good post

sip....I'm leaving the office to get ready for State!!!! Go Bama!

 

[tidefanbeezer]

Maybe never

Have to agree.

The majority of national titles, historically, have been won by the "haves" (Bama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, etc).

Saban is a great coach, but the odds of winning a national title at Northwestern, Syracuse, Colorado or some of the other "low-end" programs are poor. He could definitely make them into contenders in their respective conferences. But a lot of things would have to go right at those schools to win national titles.

 

[Matt0424]

I have to say that if he had a good 10 year plan, then possibly he could win one at Colorado... Northwestern and Syracuse? Not going to happen...

The recruiting bases for those teams are pretty dry, and only Colorado (close enough to try and recruit Texas and Cal) could possibly pull the talent to win a title. Conference titles? I say those are a possibility, but a BCSNT...doubtful

 

[B1GTide]

Not likely to happen. Smaller schools cannot afford to pay all of the coaches enough to keep great ones throughout the staff long enough to build something. It takes an entire coaching staff - I am talking about continuity across the coaching staff through the building process - for even the best programs to build championship programs.

Smaller schools that win championships are generally a fluke accomplishment. No way to predict them, IMO.

 

[im4uainva]

It's been proven, that with the procurement of the right 'mercenary' in a key position (say...QB) that a middling program can win a NC (See...W Ga Poly) with a not-so-spectacular coach. CNS, imo, is a spectacular coach and wouldn't have to resort to mercenaries to field a potential NC. Of course, everything would have to fall into place, but it can happen (See...W Ga Poly). But that goes true even at a high-end School (See...Univ of Ala). If anyone can do it...it's CNS.

Roll Tsunami, Roll!

 

[Bama Reb]

That's a trick question. At this point in his career, CNS wouldn't coach in a "low end" program. That's not a stab at any of those programs. It's just that CNS would not have his present record and reputation had he remained a coach at a lesser school such as Michigan State.
It takes a coach moving up through the ranks and throughout his career, from "lesser" schools to a major school such as Alabama, to establish himself, his abilities and his reputation.
Once on top of the ladder, you never move downward - at least not willingly.

 

[Chukker Veteran]

He's too old to start from scratch at a "low-end" program and win a national title. If you put a Saban in his early fifties at a low-end program and he stays til he wins a title, I bet he could get it done.

 

[bamaga]

disagree with those they say it can't be done at a small school. Boise St a couple of years ago was a missed field goal against TCU from playing in the BCSNCG.

 

[Bama By Birth]

Low End Program? Simple. Ask Coach Saban how long it would take at aubrens.