Nick Saban shares 2 mentors he calls his biggest coaching influences
Nick Saban is believed to be arguably the best college football coach of all time, that’s only recently been the case. Early in his career, he had 2 major influences to steer him into coaching, and polish his skills.
During a segment with Eli Manning on Manning’s new ESPN+ show, “Eli’s Places,” Saban shares that former Kent State coach Don James and Bill Belichick had the greatest impact on his career.
Saban even said James talked him into becoming a coach, while Belichick shaped his career over 4 years in Cleveland.
“That was like going from junior high, to graduate school,” Saban said.
Nick Saban on the two coaches that had the greatest impact on him: His college coach Don James at Kent State and Bill Belichick.
Saban on Belichick: “That was like going from junior high to graduate school” pic.twitter.com/RPtuaV9D5v
— ✯✯✯✯✯ (@FTBVids_YT) September 15, 2021
Don James helped put Nick Saban’s heart into coaching. Bill Belichick helped put his mind into coaching. But something tells me that he would have done OK on his own.
Don James had a great influence on Mizzou’s Gary Pinkel as well. Of course he can’t really compare to Saban’s career but Pinkel ended up the winningist coach at two schools, Toledo and Mizzou.
Of course Bill Belichick.
Of course.
The most low down cheating coach in all of the NFL.
The cheating our team has done for decades makes more sense now.
We’ve never won a legitimate National Championship. We’ve bought them all.
If our coach doesn’t make you sick to your stomach, something is wrong with you.
He’s got to go.
Get back to the nervous hospital and back on your meds.
Besides being this site’s #1 Alabama fan, I’ve been a fan longer than most everyone here.
I was even a fan before we got busted by the NCAA and punished severely for cheating.
Kid’s like you should be ashamed for carrying on the cheating tradition without caring what it does to our reputation.
We’ve never even won a legitimate National Championship!
Dude get a life. Everyone knows your just a troll with multiple profiles
He’s a troll. He lives off of your responses. Just stop.
Sure TROLL!! Everyone should respond to bubba jerk’s posts as Sure TROLL and nothing else – no need to waste any energy on his insane trolls!
Please continue with this hatred of Saban as an Alabama fan. This is hilarious!
I hope you’re also a retiree who hates social security who worked as a roofer who hated when it hailed while living in America and hating the constitution
This is great! I really hope you’re a real person and not just a troll!
He cheated St Louis out of a Super Bowl when his staff videotaped the Rams final walk through. There were several plays that were put in just for the SB and Marshall Faulk said he lined up in the slot for the first time all season and the patriots knew the play.
I know it is off topic, but what was Eli thinking with that shirt?
Good question. Thinking the 60s tie-dye was cool or something. Not then, not now, it’s hideous.
Get the SEC HQ out of Alabama. Relocate to Charlotte.
That’s random.
why?
North Carolina doesn’t even have a connection to the SEC.
Two article points of contention…
First, Saban is not “believed to be arguably the best”, he simply is…
And B) I find it interesting that is taking time to reflect back, AARP says that when senior citizens start reflecting back they are ready to retire and get on with the next chapter in life…please do not make AARP a liar, Nick
Gary Pinkel revered Don James as well.
Something is not quite right with this statement. The number one influence on his coaching career and life was his father, Big Nick. Saban’s the way he is today, because he could never please his dad, no matter how good he was or how hard he tried. When you see Saban win a national title and then complain about what didn’t go right in the game and immediately look forward to winning first game next year, that’s all Big Nick.
I have heard from Alabama insiders that they have heard Coach Saban talk about how Ms. Terry deserves more from him, and that he won’t coach forever. He could be considering retirement. There is also a small percentage chance that an NFL team would seek him out as a director of player personnel/VP/GM position or even Team President, where he could stay in football, work for a Lombardi Trophy, but not have to keep 20 hour work days. Then, there is always the chance that he will become CEO of Little Debbie. BTW, the real Debbie is still with the company.
I have heard this too, regarding Nick’s father. As for how long he’s going to coach, I just hope he’s not like the Bear and dies very shortly after retiring. But I do think it’s too much in his blood.
The biggest question is, who thought it was a good idea to give Eli a platform? He has the personality of a paper plate.