Alabama head coach Nick Saban revealed what advice his wife Terry Saban has given him concerning the Crimson Tide’s defense.
Since becoming Alabama’s head coach in 2007, Nick Saban has led the Crimson Tide to seven SEC titles and six National Championships. He’s ushered 38 players into the first round of the NFL Draft. He’s not only established the standard for college football programs but has been the engineer for the most successful program for over a decade. He is perhaps the best college coach ever.
But, the cats out the bag: The true force conducting the Alabama train, according to Saban himself, is his wife Terry.
While addressing the media on before last weekend’s drubbing of Ole Miss, coach Saban said Mrs. Saban has demanded a more aggressive defensive attack from her husband’s team.
Nick Saban getting coaching advice from his wife is a true partnership
More blitzing is what Miss Terry wants to see. The aggressive nature of her coaching philosophy is right in step with her husband’s.
At every step of the way, Mrs. Saban has been involved with practically every measure of operation with Alabama. She frequently screens her husband’s emails to keep him on task with his responsibilities. She’s hosted Alabama’s recruits and their families at the Saban home in Tuscaloosa.
She’s also fully invested in the team’s on-field activity; alongside wanting more blitzes, she’s also made it apparently clear that Alabama should run the ball more.
According to ncaa.com, Alabama is the No.63-ranked team in the country in terms of rushing attempts and with only 12 sacks, they fall to the No.56 in the country. Averaging less than two-and-a-half sacks a game is a stark contrast to last season when they averaged just over three sacks a game. So, Mrs. Saban just might have a point with blitzing more.
Despite the middle-of-the-pack rushing and sacking, Alabama came into the season as consensus No. 1 and has played like it. Through five weeks, they remain No. 1 and have only been challenged once, in Week 3 against Florida.
If the Crimson Tide experience a boom in rushing attempts, blitzes and total sacks, they’ll have Mrs. Saban to thank for that. Regardless of how the season pans out, the Saban’s will be in lockstep together.
For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.