"It was hell": Former Alabama players recall Nick Saban’s "brutal" arrival to Tuscaloosa in 2006

Modified Jun 28, 2024 13:02 GMT

NCAA Football: Alabama vs Florida State — Old snap of former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban (Credits: IMAGN)

Former Alabama players recall Nick Saban's challenging arrival in Tuscaloosa in 2006 when he became the new Alabama football coach. Saban led Alabama to a dominant run from 2007 to 2023, winning six national titles. Kalen DeBoer took over as head coach in 2024 following Saban's retirement.

Being an Alabama player in Saban's first season in 2007 was tough. Players had heard rumors about Saban's demanding methods.

"It was hell," said former offensive tackle Mike Johnson, per Sports Illustrated.

His fourth-quarter program was legendary, recalled former center Antoine Caldwell.

“That’s when we started looking around at each other like, ‘Oh boy, we better get ready to go," Caldwell said, per SI. “It was nine weeks of all out, brutal work. He was up front about it. He said, ‘Hey, there will be some guys that won’t make it. This is going to weed some people out and you will be better for it.’”

Nick Saban runs onto the field. (Credits: IMAGN)

Saban's program tested players' commitment, distinguishing between those who wanted to be there. Former tight end Preston Dial (2007-10) said that when he told Saban he tried to win, the coach reminded him to remember that during the grueling offseason conditioning.

“When I met with him, I told him I want to do whatever I have to do to win,” Dial said (via SI). “That was just before the offseason conditioning program started. He nodded his head and said, ‘Don’t forget that in the coming weeks.’ He put us through a program that determined who wanted to be there and who was there just to put on a jersey.”

Initially, Saban didn't forge personal relationships with players. Caldwell said he cared about who they were becoming as men. Former offensive tackle Johnson experienced this when his mom visited unannounced.

“I was so embarrassed and said please don’t do this,” Johnson said.

“Later that day, (Saban) walked up to me while we were stretching and said, ‘Hey, I met your mom today,’” Johnson said. “I said I was so sorry and I didn’t know what she was thinking. He said he thought I was transferring and, ‘I’m glad you are not going anywhere.’”

“He turned around, smiled and said, ‘You know, we all have moms.’ He was kind of saying to me, don’t be embarrassed,” Johnson added. “It is what it is and moms are that way.”

After Alabama's national title win against Texas in 2010, Johnson talked about the secret to their 14-0 season.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is interviewed (Credits: IMAGN)

“The secret was there wasn’t a secret,” he said. “It was literally just hard work. That’s the one thing Saban always hammered home. He always says there are no shortcuts, no secret sauce. If you want to be good, you have to do the right things all the time. With the confetti falling down around us all I could think of was, ‘He’s right.’”

Under legendary Nick Saban, the Alabama Crimson Tide had numerous successful seasons, including undefeated regular seasons in 2009 and 2020, and near-perfect seasons in 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2017.

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Nick Saban's extensive expertise spanning five decades

Nick Saban has had a coaching career spanning over five decades, from his early days as a graduate assistant at Kent State to leading Alabama to the pinnacle of success.