What’s It Like to Face Nick Saban? [Audio]

The first decade of Alabama football under Nick Saban has brought the winning spirit back to Tuscaloosa with numerous SEC and national title trophies added to the trophy case.

While fans and commentators in the media examine the wins, losses and championships with a fine-tooth comb, a common aspect of Alabama football’s success surfaced early in his run in Tuscaloosa.

During his introductory press conference in 2007, Saban emphasized the process of working every day toward the goal of dominating your opponent whether it’s an opponent like Clemson or Charleston Southern.

Since 2007, the Crimson Tide has won 119 of their 138 games played since Saban’s arrival at the University of Alabama.

During Thursday’s edition of The Gary Harris Show, one college football writer examined Saban’s dominance at Alabama through a different lens. Saturday Down South contributor Al Blanton studied the vantage point of what it’s like to face Nick Saban from the opponent’s sideline.

Regarding Alabama’s opponents, Blanton focused his commentary on programs at small and mid-major conference as well as the FCS.

He also looked at the challenges that schools like Mercer, Middle Tennessee and Louisiana-Monroe have when playing the Crimson Tide but also the benefits that come with traveling to Tuscaloosa on a football Saturday in the fall.

“For guys like Mercer, they’re just trying to get their name out there. For programs like MTSU, it’s more about economics, and it’s more about raising their play, and when Louisiana-Monroe beats a team like an Alabama, and then they can go into Arkansas five years later and beat Arkansas, it gives them that confidence to play on that level.” Blanton said.

The Saturday Down South contributor noted how the college football community views the matchups differently than the college basketball community.

“One of the things that I really discovered as I was writing the piece is sort of the juxtaposition between the college basketball ecosystem and college football. In college football, it’s sort of looked upon with a degree of distain, particularly by members of the media to play these FCS schools, to play these lower to mid-level D-1 programs.” Blanton said.

Blanton also analyzed the journey that led Alabama and the late Mal Moore to bring Nick Saban into the Crimson Tide family in 2007.

Catch The Gary Harris Show every weekday from 9-11 AM on Tide 102.9/100.9 and the radioPup app