Hypothetical scenario.....

[missouridawg]

Let's dream that Nick Saban was never the coach of Alabama. Mullen gets hired in 2009 and gets to face/recruit against a non-Saban led Alabama team, as does the rest of the SEC. Let's pretend that a mediocre coach takes the job at Bama instead (someone like James Franklin or Gus Malzahn)...

Where do you think we'd be at in regarding Mullen then?

I truly feel that all of the SEC west fan bases that are ready to move on from their coaches (MSU, LSU, Auburn now... And Arky and maybe aTm later in the year) would have a completely different feeling on their own coach if Saban didn't skull drag their *** every year. When you try to compare to him and his process, you will always fall short.

 

[57stratdawg]

Something has caused teams #2-#6 to slide in the SEC the last three or four years. It could be programs chasing Saban.

 

[The Riddler]

I don't blame him for not being able to compete against Saban. Nobody in the nation has been able to consistently do that. I blame him for not being able to compete against anybody else. He has been very bad against quality teams or when something is on the line.

 

[DerHntr]

Saban has definitely rocked the boat in the conference. Not only are teams less willing to wait for results, they are also much more willing to pay for them. All of the current coaches should thank Saban personally for their salaries.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

OM will pay...

 

[Shamoan]

Side note: isn't bama the only team Mullen hasn't beaten while at state?

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Side note: isn't bama the only team Mullen hasn't beaten while at state?

Yes.

And who was the last great coach before Saban got to Bama? Ever since I was old enough to really follow Bama, I was never intimidated by them. I know they won a NC in the early 90s, but after that they were pretty meh

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

One troubling thing. Every coach in the West has beaten Saban but Bielema & Mullen. Bielema lost by 1 in 2014 (they missed a few FGs). We've never been that close to beating him. Even in 2014 we never had the ball with a chance to take the lead in the 4th quarter.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Don't look for something to change either