Originally posted by D-Dogg
Dungy was an assistant under Green...he didn't come from the college ranks.
Name me someone other than Jimmy Johnson that came straight from college to the pros and had a lot of success.
DO NOT sign a college coach...the games and the personell issues are simply too different.
I'd hire Saban immediately if he were interested.
:from his bio:
Saban's background in football is rich and varied. He coached in the NFL under Bill Belichick at Cleveland and under Jerry Glanville at Houston. He is a protege of George Perles at Michigan State and Earle Bruce at Ohio State. He got his start under venerable Washington coach Don James as a graduate assistant at Kent State.
"No-nonsense" is one description of his style of coaching, but consistent and exacting might be more precise. "Hard work" can be attached to any successful program, but also working smart is a trademark of Saban coached teams. The keys to Saban's success are founded on aggressive and disciplined leadership and a philosophy of personal responsibility both on the football field and in the classroom.
"Basically, if anybody doesn't want to work hard or be committed to the way he's committed, then they're going to have a problem with him," said Belichick, coach of the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots. "Now, if they like to work, they won't have any problems at all."
Saban is a communicator who gets the best out of his players, a coach who can guarantee that a player willing to dedicate himself to the program will maximize his talents.
"Instead of looking at the overall picture, he gives his players something they can really lash their teeth into, which allows them to play more aggressively," said Dean Pees, the head coach at Kent State who served as a defensive coordinator under Saban. "There are a lot of guys who can draw up defenses in the dirt and draw X's and O's. The question is what little things can you find to help each player play his position? That's one thing Nick is good at."
Saban has a career win-loss record of 69-38-1 for a winning percentage of .650, a total that includes five years as head coach at Michigan State (1995-99), three seasons at LSU and one year at Toledo (1990). He also has extensive experience in the NFL, having coached the secondary of the Houston Oilers for two seasons (1988-89) and having served as defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns for four seasons (1991-94).
During his five-year tenure as head coach at Michigan State, Saban tutored four first-team All-Americans and 10 NFL draft picks.
The 51-year-old Saban returned to Michigan State following four seasons as the Cleveland Browns' defensive coordinator from 1991-94. The Browns went from allowing the most points in the NFL prior to Saban's arrival to allowing the fewest points in 1994. His defensive unit allowed a league-low 21 touchdowns and 204 points in 1994, the sixth-fewest points surrendered in NFL history at the time.
Saban previously served as head coach at the University of Toledo where he guided the Rockets to a 9-2 overall record in 1990, including a share of the Mid-America Conference title at 7-1. The Rockets ranked among the NCAA leaders in both total defense (12th at 284.8 yards) and scoring defense (16th at 16.2 points). In his rookie season as a head coach, Toledo missed posting an undefeated record by only five points.
He began his first stint in the NFL with the Houston Oilers as the secondary coach from 1988-89. The Oilers ranked among the AFC leaders in interceptions in both 1988 (tied for second with 22) and 1989 (fourth with 21).
As secondary coach and defensive coordinator, Saban played an integral part in helping Michigan State to three postseason bowl appearances from 1983-87, including a Big Ten championship in 1987 and a 20-17 triumph over Southern California in the 1988 Rose Bowl. The Spartans led the nation in rushing defense in 1987, allowing only 61.2 yards per game, and ranked second in scoring defense, permitting 12.4 points.
His college coaching credits also include stops at the U.S. Naval Academy (1982), Ohio State (1980-81), West Virginia (1978-79), Syracuse (1977) and Kent State (1975-76). While coaching the secondary at Ohio State, he helped produce four NFL draft choices.
He began his coaching career in 1973 as a graduate assistant at his alma mater Kent State. A defensive back for the Golden Flashes from 1970-72, Saban played in the 1972 Tangerine Bowl against Tampa. He also picked up two letters as a shortstop on the Kent State baseball team.
Born Oct. 31, 1951, in Fairmont, W.Va., Saban earned his bachelor's degree in business from Kent State in 1973 and his master's in sports administration in 1975. Saban, who is an avid golfer, co-authored "Tiger Turnaround" in 2001, a 128-page book documenting his first two years in Baton Rouge.
He and his wife, the former Terry Constable of Fairmont, W. Va., have two children, Nicholas and Kristen.