MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2012 |
THE TUSCALOOSA NEWS
3C
Saban Coaching Tree SABAN ON THE HEADSET
NICK SABAN’S MICHIGAN STATE STAFF
Former Nick Saban assistant coaches tell tales from fall Saturdays gone by:
“We were playing, I think, Bowling Green in a home game. We were running the ball and the free safety kept creeping up and was getting about 10 yards from the line of scrimmage. Nick called up to the box and says, ‘Hey, Greg, do you see that free safety so close the line of scrimmage?’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’ He said, “Do you think we could throw the ball over his head with a play-action pass? Do we have that in our offense?’ The next play, we threw a play-action pass for a touchdown. He gets back on the headset and says, ‘Thank you very much.’” — offensive coordinator Greg Meyer (Toledo, 1990)
“He rarely got on the headset, but one time we were playing Oregon our first game of the year in East Lansing. He got on the headset and told me to run a particular blitz. Julian Peterson knocked the ball out, Amp Campbell scooped it and ran it back for a score. That was maybe one of two times he got that specific on the headset the whole year, but when he did, he always had something, and he’d be right.” — defensive coordinator Bill Miller (Michigan State, 1999)
“Playing Auburn over there (in 2009), we went ahead at the end with the two-minute drill. Nick calls a timeout and says, ‘Let’s throw that play action,’ as an example. He was excellent on game day. He’s a smart guy. He’s real poised on game day, as well.” — offensive line coach Joe Pendry (Alabama, 2007-10)
“He said more on the headset when you were supposed to beat a team — a Georgia Southern, a North Texas. One time we were playing Western Illinois, and they did a couple of things to us here and there, and things got intense. Then the next week we’ll play Georgia and it’s an (expletive) buster, and he doesn’t say a peep.” — strength/ linebackers coach Mike Collins (LSU, 2003-04)
“The last game of the season, we played Penn State. ... On the last series, we only had 10 players on the field because we had a substitution mix-up after a kickoff. He didn’t know it during the game. The next morning, on Sunday, he realized what had happened. We all knew what had happened, but nobody said anything. So on Sunday morning, after watching tape, he knew it, because he’s very detailed. He came into our defensive meeting and basically threatened to fire every one of us if it ever happened again. We all knew it had happened. It was a coaching mistake we’d made on defense, and when he realized it, he came in and got after us pretty good — which he should have done as a head coach.” — defensive line coach Brad Lawing (Michigan State, 1996-98) Editor’s note: Lawing said he was thankful Michigan State intercepted a pass on the first play of the drive with a defensive back missing from the defensive package.
“We had some problems defensively against Georgia Tech in the Peach Bowl, and we made a quarterback change at halftime, too. We weren’t out of the game, but we weren’t in control of the game. ... When he stepped in to do some things to win the game, you’ve got to take your ego out of it. He saw some things and he was right about those things, and he called the second half. It was great. It was fun to see it work.” — defensive coordinator Phil Elmassian (LSU, 2000)
Compiled by Chase Goodbread Graphic illustration by Anthony Bratina
Listen to interviews from former Saban assistants at www.TideSports.com
NICK SABAN’S LSU STAFF
CHARLIE BAGGETT, RECEIVERS Years under Saban at Michigan State: 1995-98 After coaching under Saban: Joined Green Bay Packers as receivers coach in 1999 Where he is now: Resigned from coaching wide receivers at Tennessee after last season
MIKE COLLINS, STRENGTH COACH (‘03) AND LINEBACKERS (‘04) Years under Saban at LSU: 2003-04 After coaching under Saban: Left LSU for two-year stretch as defensive coordinator at Northwestern State Where he is now: Defensive coordinator, McNeese State
JIM BOLLMAN, OFFENSIVE LINE Years under Saban at Michigan State: 1995-97 After coaching under Saban: Coached tight ends with Philadelphia Eagles in 1998 before moving onto the same role with the Chicago Bears Where he is now: Offensive line coach at Boston College
KIRK DOLL, LINEBACKERS Years under Saban at LSU: 2002-03 After coaching under Saban: Spent three years coaching special teams with the Denver Broncos Where he is now: East Carolina’s running backs/special teams coach
BOB CASULLO, TIGHT ENDS/SPECIAL TEAMS Year under Saban at Michigan State: 1999 After coaching under Saban: Joined Oakland Raiders as special teams coach Where he is now: Coached at Syracuse in 2010 when he left his position midseason under head coach Doug Marrone
GREG COLBY, OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS Years under Saban at Michigan State: 1995-97 After coaching under Saban: Spent four years as defensive coordinator at Kent State from 1998-2001 Where he is now: Head coach, Millersville University in Pennsylvania
CHRIS COSH, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR/INSIDE LINEBACKERS Year under Saban at Michigan State: 1998 After coaching under Saban: Left Saban staff after one year to become linebackers coach at South Carolina Where he is now: Newly-hired defensive coordinator at South Florida
MIKE CUMMINGS, TIGHT ENDS/SPECIAL TEAMS Year under Saban at Michigan State: 1998 After coaching under Saban: Coached offensive line at Central Michigan for one year before going to Eastern Michigan Where he is now: Offensive coordinator, offensive line coach at Central Michigan
MARK DANTONIO, DEFENSIVE BACKS Years under Saban at Michigan State: 1995-99 After coaching under Saban: One of two Michigan State assistants on staff for the Saban era. Stayed for the 2000 season to coach defensive backs one season Where he is now: Head coach, Michigan State
DEREK DOOLEY, TES/RBS/SPECIAL TEAMS Years under Saban at LSU: 2000-04 After coaching under Saban: Joined Saban with the Dolphins for two seasons before moving into his first head coaching role at La. Tech Where he is now: Head coach, Tennessee PHIL ELMASSIAN, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR Year under Saban at LSU: 2000 After coaching under Saban: W. Virginia defensive coordinator in 2001 Where he is now: Recently hired as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Massachusetts JIMBO FISHER, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR Years under Saban at LSU: 2000-04 After coaching under Saban: Remained at LSU as offensive coordinator for Les Miles. Two years later, he took the same job at Florida State Where he is now: Head coach, Florida State GARY GIBBS, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR Year under Saban at LSU: 2001 After coaching under Saban: Began a four-year stretch as linebackers coach for the Dallas Cowboys Where he is now: Linebackers coach with the Kansas City Chiefs CHARLIE HARBISON, DEFENSIVE BACKS Years under Saban at LSU: 2001-02. After coaching under Saban: Joined Mike Shula’s staff at Alabama, where he coached defensive backs for four years Where he is now: DB coach/co-defensive coordinator at Clemson STAN HIXON, RECEIVERS Years under Saban at LSU: 2000-03 After coaching under Saban: Joined Washington Redskins as receivers coach Where he is now: Receivers coach at Penn State for Bill O’Brien
TODD GRANTHAM, DEFENSIVE LINE Years under Saban at Michigan State: 1996-98 After coaching under Saban: Joined NFL’s Indianapolis Colts as defensive line coach in 1999 Where he is now: Defensive coordinator at Georgia
PETE JENKINS, DEFENSIVE LINE Years under Saban at LSU: 2000-01 After coaching under Saban: Retired and moved to Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., where he was eventually coaxed out of retirement to coach defensive line for the Philadelphia Eagles Where he is now: Retired again after three years with the Eagles
BRAD LAWING, DEFENSIVE LINE/RECRUITING COORDINATOR Year under Saban at Michigan State: 1999 After coaching under Saban: Stayed on to coach at Michigan State as part of Bobby Williams’ staff before moving on to North Carolina Where he is now: Defensive line coach, South Carolina
TRAVIS JONES, DEFENSIVE LINE Years under Saban at LSU: 2003-04 After coaching under Saban: Spent three years as a defensive assistant with the Miami Dolphins Where he is now: Asst. defensive line coach with the New Orleans Saints
BILL MILLER, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR Year under Saban at Michigan State: 1999 After coaching under Saban: Stayed on at Michigan State as defensive coordinator under Bobby Williams. Left Spartans to coach linebackers at Florida in 2003 Where he is now: Linebackers coach at Minnesota
REGGIE MITCHELL, RECEIVERS Year under Saban at Michigan State: 1999 After coaching under Saban: Stayed on at Michigan State to coach running backs under Saban’s replacement, Bobby Williams Where he is now: Assistant at Kansas after serving as interim head coach
DEAN PEES, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR/INSIDE LINEBACKERS Years under Saban at Michigan State: 1995-97 After coaching under Saban: Named head coach at Kent State in 1998, stayed for six seasons Where he is now: Defensive coordinator, NFL Baltimore Ravens
GLENN PIRES, DEFENSIVE LINE/LINEBACKERS Year under Saban at Michigan State: 1995 After coaching under Saban: Left Michigan State after one season to join NFL’s Arizona Cardinals as linebackers coach Where he is now: Linebackers coach for Atlanta Falcons
PAT RUEL, OFFENSIVE LINE Years under Saban at Michigan State: 1998-99 After coaching under Saban: Joined the NFL’s Detroit Lions, also to coach offensive linemen, in 2000 Where he is now: Offensive line coach, Seattle Seahawks
BILL SHERIDAN, LINEBACKERS Years under Saban at Michigan State: 1998-99 After coaching under Saban: Stayed on at Michigan State as linebackers coach for one season after Saban left, then went on to coach linebackers at Notre Dame Where he is now: Newly-hired defensive coordinator of Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PAT SHURMUR, TIGHT ENDS/RECRUITING COORDINATOR Years under Saban at Michigan State: 1995-97 After coaching under Saban: Coached offensive line at Stanford in 1998 Where he is now: Head coach, Cleveland Browns
GARY TRANQUILL, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/QUARTERBACKS Years under Saban at Michigan State: 1995-98 After coaching under Saban: Took offensive coordinator job with Virginia in 1999 Where he is now: Retired. Last coached in 2010 as Boston College offensive coordinator
WILL MUSCHAMP, LBS, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR Years under Saban at LSU: 2001-04 After coaching under Saban: Went with Saban to the Dolphins as defensive assistant in 2005; left for defensive coordinator job at Auburn in 2006 Where he is now: Head coach, Florida Gators LEROY RYALS, TIGHT ENDS Year under Saban at LSU: 2004 After coaching under Saban: Became head coach at Stuart (Fla.) Martin High Where he is now: Head coach at Clarke Central High in Georgia STACY SEARELS, OFFENSIVE LINE Years under Saban at LSU: 2003-04 After coaching under Saban: Stayed on Tigers staff under coach Les Miles for two more years before moving on to coach offensive linemen at Cincinnati Where he is now: Offensive line coach with Texas KIRBY SMART, DEFENSIVE BACKS Year under Saban at LSU: 2004 After coaching under Saban: Coached running backs at Georgia in 2005 before returning to Saban’s staff with the Dolphins as defensive backs coach in 2006 Where he is now: Defensive coordinator, University of Alabama SAL SUNSERI, LINEBACKERS Year under Saban at LSU: 2000 After coaching under Saban: Coached linebackers and special teams at Michigan State in 2001 Where he is now: Defensive coordinator at Tennessee LANCE THOMPSON, DEFENSIVE LINE, TIGHT ENDS Years under Saban at LSU: 2002-03 After coaching under Saban: Three-year defensive coordinator at the University of Central Florida Where he is now: Linebackers coach under Saban at Alabama RICK TRICKETT, OFFENSIVE LINE Year under Saban at LSU: 2000 After coaching under Saban: Took position coaching offensive linemen at West Virginia for the 2001 season Where he is now: Offensive line coach at Florida State MEL TUCKER, DEFENSIVE BACKS Year under Saban at LSU: 2000 After coaching under Saban: Coached defensive backs at Ohio State from 2001-04 Where he is now: Defensive coordinator, Jacksonville Jaguars TIM WALTON, DEFENSIVE BACKS Year under Saban at LSU: 2003 After coaching under Saban: Went to Miami to coach defensive backs for three years, promoted to defensive coordinator in 2007 Where he is now: Defensive backs coach, Detroit Lions
MORRIS WATTS, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/QUARTERBACKS Year under Saban at Michigan State: 1999 After coaching under Saban: Stayed on Bobby Williams’ staff at Michigan State as offensive coordinator, eventually being named interim head coach Where he is now: Recently hired as quarterbacks coach at Central Michigan
BOBBY WILLIAMS, RECEIVERS Year under Saban at LSU: 2004 After coaching under Saban: Went with Saban to the Miami Dolphins, where he coached running backs for two seasons Where he is now: Tight ends/special teams coach under Saban at the University of Alabama
BOBBY WILLIAMS, RUNNING BACKS Years under Saban at Michigan State: 1995-99 After coaching under Saban: Was retained and promoted to head coach at Michigan State after Saban left the Spartans to coach at LSU Where he is now: Tight ends, special teams coach under Saban at Alabama
GEORGE YARNO, OFFENSIVE LINE Years under Saban at LSU: 2001-02 After coaching under Saban: Coached offensive line at Washington State from 2003-07 Where he is now: Offensive line coach, NFL’s Detroit Lions