X-Nico

7 unusual facts about Nick Saban


Antonio Gates

Originally, Gates enrolled at Michigan State University wanting to play football under then-coach Nick Saban as well as basketball under coach Tom Izzo but upon enrolling Saban wanted him to play only football.

Ben Wilkerson

He received an athletic scholarship to attend Louisiana State University, where he played for coach Nick Saban's LSU Tigers football team from 2001 to 2004.

Clarke Central High School

The current head football coach, Leroy Ryals, is a former LSU Tigers (under Nick Saban) and South Florida Bulls assistant coach.

Coonass

University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban came under fire in early 2007 for using the term while speaking "off the record" to a reporter.

Hospice of Baton Rouge

The 10th Decorators' Show Home featured Nick Saban's former Baton Rouge mansion, which was transformed by twenty-one Baton Rouge designers.

Skip Bertman

The Tigers won the 2003 BCS championship under coach Nick Saban.

Wallace Wade

In 2006, a bronze statue of Wade was erected outside of the University of Alabama's Bryant–Denny Stadium alongside the statues of Frank Thomas, Bear Bryant, Gene Stallings and now Nick Saban, the other head coaches who led Alabama to national championships.


2009 Southeastern Conference football officiating controversy

Unlike Bobby Petrino, Dan Mullen, Lane Kiffin, and Urban Meyer, neither Alabama head coach Nick Saban nor LSU head coach Les Miles made negative comments about the officiating.

Michael Haywood

Haywood served as an assistant at several college football programs, most notably under Nick Saban at LSU, under Mack Brown at Texas and under Charlie Weis at his alma mater Notre Dame.

Tony Mandarich

Recruited to Michigan State University by defensive back coach Nick Saban, Mandarich played in the 1988 Rose Bowl, was named as a First-team All-American, an Outland Award finalist and a two-time Big Ten Lineman of the Year.


see also

Bryan Wiedmeier

This group includes the winningest coach in NFL history, Don Shula as well as Jimmy Johnson, Nick Saban, Bill Parcells and Mike Holmgren.

Joe Dean

Among Dean's final major decisions at the helm of the athletic department was along with LSU Chancellor Mark Emmert to hire Nick Saban as football coach.