"High achievers don't like mediocre people": When Nick Saban held nothing back during 60 minutes profile 

Former LSU and Alabama head coach Nick Saban was always considered a disciplinarian. His approach, however, turned the Crimson Tide into one of the biggest dynasties the sport has ever known. In 2013, Saban was featured in “60 Minutes” and came out clean on his coaching personality.

Here is a look back at what Saban said when asked why he was so tough on his players.

“I don’t know if that’s fair, that I’m tough on people. We create a standard for how we want to do things and everybody’s got to buy into that standard or you really can’t have any team chemistry. You know, mediocre people don’t like high achievers and high achievers don’t like mediocre people,” Nick Saban said. (2:00 mark)

But Saban’s style helped create a new method of coaching. His attention to detail translated to players taking it one play at a time and eventually taking games over.

“The approach was to challenge the players to play every play in the game like it had a history and a life of its own. and try to take the other team out of the game and make it all about us,” Nick Saban said.

Saban won six championships at Alabama and had some of the most dominating teams in college football history. He also coached players like Derrick Henry, Tua Tagovailoa, Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, Bryce Young, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Reuben Foster, and CJ Mosley, among others. His other national championship came while coaching at LSU.

More than a decade after the profile, Saban’s words still ring as a true reflection of his Alabama championship-winning teams.

SEC insider doesn’t see a title in second year without Nick Saban

Alabama lost a bowl game to Michigan for the second straight year. - Source: Imagn

After a disappointing end to the 2024 season, the Alabama Crimson Tide will look to bounce back in year two of the Kalen DeBoer era. However, SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum doesn’t think the Crimson Tide will make it back to where they were under Nick Saban.

For the insider, the expectation in Tuscaloosa is to make the CFP after missing out in 2024.

"I don't see a national championship for Alabama," Paul Finebaum said. "I think that their goal really is the same as it was this year. Get to the playoff."

Alabama finished the season with a 9-4 record and a loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Alabama was the first team out of the CFP after losing games to unranked Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, as well as CFP-bound Tennessee.