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re: For older LSU fans
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:30 pm to rpr4695
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:30 pm to rpr4695
Saban was largely a question mark. Like Kiffin, Saban had a habit of changing jobs often. . Michigan State may have been the longest he’d ever stayed in one place. His first four years at State were pretty mediocre, but they had a really good year his fifth year there, and it seemed like he was determined to use that year as leverage to get another change in scenery. We had played them in the Independence Bowl in ‘95(?) which was both his and dinardo’s first year. It was a shootout with at least a couple of kickoffs returned for TDs. Saban’s team was very undisciplined and getting USLC penalties right and left….the TV even caught one of his players having a shouting match with his position coach on the sideline. That game was what I remembered most when I heard he was coming to LSU. I was optimistic (as I usually am when we change coaches) but I certainly didn’t expect him to accomplish anything near what he did.
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Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:31 pm to rpr4695
It wasn't a big deal when he was hired
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:36 pm to rpr4695
Not the same, Saban was a younger up and coming couch. He had success at Mich St and was a hot coach coming from there. LK is different situation being that he is the top available coach in the country. Saban was highly thought of, but wasn't at the level as LK. Of course he proved himself years later.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:40 pm to rpr4695
Most thought of him as a solid defensive coach and thought he would do well here. A pretty universal thought was that LSU was just a springboard to the NFL. When he won the Natty in ‘03, people started to imagine he might want to settle down and stay here. Then Black Christmas 2004 struck….
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:47 pm to rpr4695
Saban’s first year was still the most fun season I’ve ever had as a fan. Those home games that year were pure frolic. If anyone brings up Watson Brown and UAB then they are missing the point. The whole season was a party because we were starved and the Peach Bowl was exceeding expectations. You can’t believe how well we traveled to Atlanta for New Years Eve
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:48 pm to Buck Dancer
quote:this is me exactly. Down to the 49
I’m 49 . When Saban came in I thought it was a good hire, but not sure what would happen. I’ve never been more fired up for a hire and the last 3 days with Kiffin. I wasn’t a big Kiffin fan in the past. But, he seems to have grown up while still having that competitive fire . I’m very excited for the next few years with Kiffin.
I think Lane realized how different it is as our coach versus visitor when he arrived at the airport, then MMR and then the ops building. Tons of fans greeting him. When he rolled the window down at MMR and threw his fist out I knew he was excited then. I think the first time he runs out into Tiger stadium on a night game after heavy tailgating and 100,000 fans cheer the team instead of booing as a visiting team he will be hooked on the energy. He won’t have to beg to get for 60k fans to show up and set a record. We’ll have his back. This post was edited on 12/5/25 at 11:52 pm
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:50 pm to BayouPride
quote:especially after Hallman, Archer and Dinardo
Saban’s first year was still the most fun season I’ve ever had as a fan.
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:53 pm to rpr4695
Saban was kinda meh because LSU beat him in 1995 and he was at Michigan St. Boy did things change fast once he got to LSU!
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:55 pm to rpr4695
quote:
Compared to that time, how does this feel?
Virtually no comparison…simply because I had never heard of Nick Saban. As someone else said, there really was nowhere to go but up, though. However, I don’t remember there being any particular optimism, as the program really had no history of winning much. Our program has been surprisingly successful since Saban’s time and that includes BK’s tenure.
I personally am optimistic about Kiffin, but not nearly as much as most here are. You can never tell how a coach will do at a particular program, as there are so many variables….and a major one of those is just blind assed luck!
This post was edited on 12/5/25 at 11:57 pm
Posted on 12/5/25 at 11:56 pm to rpr4695
Believe it or not, Saban to LSU was mixed feelings. He came with a .500 record and was being paid a million dollars which was unprecedented for its time.
There is a lot more excitement with Kiffin. It’s not close.
There is a lot more excitement with Kiffin. It’s not close.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 12:26 am to timlan2057
quote:Same. Saban was highly regarded in coaching circles, but the average LSU fan wouldn’t have been able to pick him out of a lineup when he was initially hired. But Emmett (Chancellor, not President) foresaw value of a highly successful football program to the University and Saban was offered the 3rd highest paid CFB HC at the time.
At his first presser when he began to speak I thought “Hmm. This guy seems to have his act together.”
Posters will bring up Indy Bowl and MSU being “mediocre” during most of his time there, but will fail to mention that MSU was on probation when hired there. Saban never had a losing record at MSU and had them at 9-2 in his final season there. Saban also won more games in his first year at LSU (8) than LSU won the previous 2 seasons combined (7), but some fans will still mention UAB.
These threads always bring up revisionist history and cherry picking of information, either because lack of memory or some intentionally.
But the answer to OP is Lane hiring is a lot more fanfare, but Saban was a terrific hire at the time. It’s just the arm chair QBs didn’t really know who he was.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 12:37 am to rpr4695
During the 90’s LSU had some good teams later in the decade. Jerry D turned us into a winning top 25 program and make a 2nd tier bowl game. Saban was able to lock down the State and showed the true potential. Also back then a lot of Louisiana players went to Miami and all of the other big programs in the SEC.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 12:39 am to rileytiger
This would be a better question for Alabama fans when Saban was hired. Just keeping it real
Posted on 12/6/25 at 12:45 am to rpr4695
28
Can’t be much worse then Kelly
That mf’er took the money and ran
#allmyhomieshatebriansmelly
No pun intended but lane has the juice without the dog. Good thing he likes puss
#geauxtigs
Can’t be much worse then Kelly
That mf’er took the money and ran
#allmyhomieshatebriansmelly
No pun intended but lane has the juice without the dog. Good thing he likes puss
#geauxtigs
Posted on 12/6/25 at 12:51 am to geauxbrown
2000 was a nice turnaround but started wuth 2 september losses including the UAB debacle. We had seen something similar with Dinardo and bring back the magic.
2001 was an amazing finish and a shocking turnaround but even that season was tempered with consecutive losses September losses after the 9/11 postponement
2002 season opening loss at Va Tech was another early letdown leading to a 5 loss season and some really bad losses.
2003 Until the UGA win, Saban was viewed as a decent coach but nothing approaching elite. It took running the table after the Florida loss to bring him to that level. Even then, while he was obviously considered one of the best in the game, no one would've predicted him becoming the greatest in history.
2001 was an amazing finish and a shocking turnaround but even that season was tempered with consecutive losses September losses after the 9/11 postponement
2002 season opening loss at Va Tech was another early letdown leading to a 5 loss season and some really bad losses.
2003 Until the UGA win, Saban was viewed as a decent coach but nothing approaching elite. It took running the table after the Florida loss to bring him to that level. Even then, while he was obviously considered one of the best in the game, no one would've predicted him becoming the greatest in history.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 12:57 am to Flyingtiger82
quote:
This feels more like when Bama hired Saban away from the Dolphins. We all knew Bama was going to become a juggernaut. That’s how this feels.
Spot on. But as Lane said on Theo Von... even Saban couldn't be Saban in the NIL area.
I want to become what Georgia has been the last 5 years. Couple of titles and ALWAYS relevant
This post was edited on 12/6/25 at 12:58 am
Posted on 12/6/25 at 12:58 am to rpr4695
I’m 43 and I remember when Chris Fowler talked about the hire on Gameday. They debated the hire on the cast that day. Saban had charisma and sounded like a winner. I always thought he was gonna be a special coach despite most of the media saying he was “overpaid” at 1.2 million a year.
The LSU fans gave Saban a hard time the first season especially after the loss to UAB. I remember going to the Miss St game that year and watching the team come back and win. Miss St was actually good at that time. After that, I knew LSU had a legit winner.
I say all that to say, some people have a certain swag. Saban had it. Tom Brady had it. Joe Burrow has it. I think Lane has it as well. The “IT” factor.
I hope we give him a chance to prove it. We may not get to the playoffs next year, but give the guy 5 years and we will get a natty. I truly believe that.
The LSU fans gave Saban a hard time the first season especially after the loss to UAB. I remember going to the Miss St game that year and watching the team come back and win. Miss St was actually good at that time. After that, I knew LSU had a legit winner.
I say all that to say, some people have a certain swag. Saban had it. Tom Brady had it. Joe Burrow has it. I think Lane has it as well. The “IT” factor.
I hope we give him a chance to prove it. We may not get to the playoffs next year, but give the guy 5 years and we will get a natty. I truly believe that.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 1:05 am to Basura Blanco
quote:This is the shite I was talking about. What did you intentionally decide to leave out? Maybe LSU being 6–1 and Mauck getting injured?
2002 season opening loss at Va Tech was another early letdown leading to a 5 loss season and some really bad losses.
But you remembered to mention everything else that would be negative light. Laughable.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 1:27 am to rpr4695
This is better. Everyone knows what Kiffin can do on Offense. Nobody really knew anything about Saban at the time
Posted on 12/6/25 at 1:30 am to rpr4695
It feels like 2001 when Michael Clayton, Marcus Spears & Marquise Hill all signed in the same class & we knew LSU was about to do something special.
In 2001, we beat TN for the SEC Championship.
In 2001, we beat TN for the SEC Championship.
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