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Posted on 12/6/25 at 2:28 pm to rpr4695
After the UAB game the post game show wanted him fired. That was a different time. Alabama was last in the west, auburn won the west finishing 9-4 6-2 in the sec. The east? Florida won 10-3 and 7-1 Georgia ( pre-juggernaut) was 8-4. One thing my dad noticed when saban walked down victory hill… he was locked in focused no ra-ra stuff. Coming out of the Dinardo era, fans were still enjoying Saturday nights in tiger stadium with minimal expectations. That changed once the taste of a title and miles going 10-2 every year.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 2:42 pm to rpr4695
No Comparison.
Saban had no record.
He and Parcels were known as excellent defensive coaches in the NFL.
He had a good record at Toledo and then turned a probation Michigan St into a winner.
Fans had mixed opinions.
Even after he won a title, fans were still criticizing him after he lost to Iowa in a Bowl game.
Saban had no record.
He and Parcels were known as excellent defensive coaches in the NFL.
He had a good record at Toledo and then turned a probation Michigan St into a winner.
Fans had mixed opinions.
Even after he won a title, fans were still criticizing him after he lost to Iowa in a Bowl game.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 2:43 pm to armytiger33
quote:His Staff included Jimbo Fisher, Will Muschamp, Kirby Smart and Mel Tucker!
Saban didn’t become Saban until he got to LSU
Posted on 12/6/25 at 2:48 pm to rpr4695
Remember it well. There were multiple factors at play, one being that LSU under Joe Dean always, ALWAYS took the cheapest option. I mean, in his defense, he inherited a bankrupt department and put us in the black but it made people cynical.
The other factor is that Gerry DiNardo whipped the living hell out of Saban's team in a bowl game - but the argument against that is that when we hired him, Saban was the coach of a top 10 team.
It was a mix of "we just beat the arse off this dude" and "oh my god I can't believe they actually spent money on a top ten coach."
More excitement than not, but we were guarded. LSU made Saban, don't forget.
The other factor is that Gerry DiNardo whipped the living hell out of Saban's team in a bowl game - but the argument against that is that when we hired him, Saban was the coach of a top 10 team.
It was a mix of "we just beat the arse off this dude" and "oh my god I can't believe they actually spent money on a top ten coach."
More excitement than not, but we were guarded. LSU made Saban, don't forget.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 2:59 pm to rpr4695
Starting with Saban's first season, it was obvious that if LSU lost a game, it was the other team than was better than you, not because we gave it away. Saban's teams were tough and smart. The tough part carried over to the Miles era...not so much the smart.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 3:04 pm to Buck Dancer
quote:
I wasn’t a big Kiffin fan in the past. But, he seems to have grown up while still having that competitive fire .
THIS! He used to be too immature for my tastes and used to take far too many risks and to try to prove what a genius he was even when the game plan was working. I keep bringing up a Florida Atlantic vs Louisiana Tech game where FAU was destroying the Bulldogs just by running the ball. He decided he wasn't being shown the genius so he started passing the ball. FAU lost the game due to that exact change in philosophy. I can take some of his trolling of other teams but some of the other rants and ego he had, I would take a hard pass on that. But he has toned all that down with agel
Posted on 12/6/25 at 3:05 pm to rpr4695
quote:
For some context, I'm 30 and didn't get to appreciate what was to come with Saban when he was hired. Compared to that time, how does this feel?
Completely different, LSU was mired in mediocrity and had no expectations on Saban, didn't know who he was other than expensive. Saban wasn't Saban back then. Fast forward he started the expectations we live under now.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 3:05 pm to rpr4695
No one knew what Saban was when he arrived. The shame was keeping Miles when Saban wanted to return. That was a stupid phucquing decision.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 3:10 pm to rpr4695
Saban was kind of an unknown. There were other well known names being tossed around. I used to sit next to the Evil Twins in the SE corner of the stadium, and one game they put up a paper banner that said "Hire Erickson" meaning Dennis Erickson who coached Miami at the time I believe. Dinardo hadn't been fired yet. It was clearly visible to the press box and Dinardo himself but only took security about about 10 milliseconds to rip it down.LOL
Posted on 12/6/25 at 3:14 pm to rpr4695
He was a BB assistant so I was curios and excited when we hired Saban. I feel more relief with the Kiffin hire as it seems like actual football is being prioritized again at LSU. The previous 3 hires were more political (in a sports context) than they were about what goes on between the lines on Saturdays.
This post was edited on 12/6/25 at 3:16 pm
Posted on 12/6/25 at 3:30 pm to rpr4695
I felt like saban was more of a mysterious hire cause i didnt know much about him at the time but was very excited after the reading the newspaper articles about him. That is the only hire i was as excited about as Kiffin. There’s nothing wasn’t any social media or online articles back then. We were scouring the newspaper everyday for new updates on the coaching search.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 3:46 pm to Sleepy_Tiger
Michigan State was significantly bigger than LSU in the 2000's. He did not come from a smaller school. Saban sought out LSU because of the number of Louisiana players in the NFL and also his offensive coodinator Watts had just been at LSU prior to Mich State. . Emmert and Saban were big into pulling LSU away from the good old boy system. Sean Tuohy , former Newman and Ole Miss basketball great and the dad in The Blindside was instrumental in getting Saban to LSU since Tuohy was a business partner with Sexton.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 3:55 pm to Sleepy_Tiger
You are correct, and I recall the OM loss was the result of a blocked punt in our ez.....and I recall even calling it from my stadium seat.....the lineup just didn't look right and it was under the goalpost right in front of the student section. Saban was not yet the GOAT, and few that night would have ever dreamed he would be. It looked like just another coach that would follow with the same that Hallman and Dinardo brought us.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 3:56 pm to rpr4695
I’m 56 and was excited about Saban, but nowhere near as excited as I am about Kiffin.
I’ll add some context why I was excited about Saban. We had played Michigan State in a bowl game up in Shreveport. LSU was the much better team, but my seats were where I could clearly see Saban. He had a lot of fire coaching his kids up even though they were losing by a large margin. I grabbed the program I bought and looked at where his kids were from, and his better recruits were from all over the country. The speed on his team was from Florida and California. Michigan was getting most of the better local players back then, so Saban truly was recruiting nationally. What really caught my attention was LSU made him I believe the highest paid coach in college football. If I’m not mistaken LSU was the first school to pay a coach over 1 million. That got me to wondering why? Well, whoever made the hire knew Saban was a guy the NFL had an eye on. Not a single coach from Michigan State came with Saban, yet he assembled a brand new staff full of great young coaches. I didn’t know Saban was going to be the GOAT, but there was a different feeling about him immediately because we had been hiring a bunch of bums for so long. His first press conference you could just sense he brought a level of professionalism and intensity with him. With Kiffin we know so much more about him and what he’s capable of at LSU so naturally this new hire brings more excitement, but I still thought Saban might be “that guy” to come in and wake a sleeping giant up.
I’ll add some context why I was excited about Saban. We had played Michigan State in a bowl game up in Shreveport. LSU was the much better team, but my seats were where I could clearly see Saban. He had a lot of fire coaching his kids up even though they were losing by a large margin. I grabbed the program I bought and looked at where his kids were from, and his better recruits were from all over the country. The speed on his team was from Florida and California. Michigan was getting most of the better local players back then, so Saban truly was recruiting nationally. What really caught my attention was LSU made him I believe the highest paid coach in college football. If I’m not mistaken LSU was the first school to pay a coach over 1 million. That got me to wondering why? Well, whoever made the hire knew Saban was a guy the NFL had an eye on. Not a single coach from Michigan State came with Saban, yet he assembled a brand new staff full of great young coaches. I didn’t know Saban was going to be the GOAT, but there was a different feeling about him immediately because we had been hiring a bunch of bums for so long. His first press conference you could just sense he brought a level of professionalism and intensity with him. With Kiffin we know so much more about him and what he’s capable of at LSU so naturally this new hire brings more excitement, but I still thought Saban might be “that guy” to come in and wake a sleeping giant up.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 3:57 pm to rpr4695
I’m looking forward to the next 2-3 years
It won’t be boring win or lose
It won’t be boring win or lose
Posted on 12/6/25 at 4:00 pm to rpr4695
I remember when Saban was hired the sentiment was that he was a great recruiter and made Sparty competitive. The desired hire was Bill Snyder Kansas State
This post was edited on 12/6/25 at 4:05 pm
Posted on 12/6/25 at 4:04 pm to rpr4695
The media narrative when Saban was hired was all about his salary. He was paid Bobby Bowden money without Bobby Bowden results, the third or fourth highest paid coach with just one conference title to his name (and in the MAC!)
Another big talking point at the time was that Michigan State did not attempt to counter LSU’s offer and practically escorted him to the airport. That was a little concerning.
I don’t remember if the often-repeated line about no coaches getting on the plane in Lansing was a big deal or not at the time. I do remember that Morris Watts turned down the chance to follow Saban to LSU as his OC.
At the time, LSU desperately needed hope. Spurrier and Fulmer were running away from the rest of the SEC after Gene Stallings retired at Bama. We needed lightning and we got it.
Another big talking point at the time was that Michigan State did not attempt to counter LSU’s offer and practically escorted him to the airport. That was a little concerning.
I don’t remember if the often-repeated line about no coaches getting on the plane in Lansing was a big deal or not at the time. I do remember that Morris Watts turned down the chance to follow Saban to LSU as his OC.
At the time, LSU desperately needed hope. Spurrier and Fulmer were running away from the rest of the SEC after Gene Stallings retired at Bama. We needed lightning and we got it.
Posted on 12/6/25 at 4:06 pm to rpr4695
quote:
For some context, I'm 30 and didn't get to appreciate what was to come with Saban when he was hired. Compared to that time, how does this feel?
I’m excited about lsu football on a level of 2003
I feel confident we’re going to wreck
Posted on 12/6/25 at 4:10 pm to Honkus
Saban hadn’t really done anything except going 7-4 but he was well respected and known as a workaholic but nothing like h to excitement of hiring Kiffen.
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