Finished reading Mal's autobiography Crimson Heart about a week and a half ago. He goes into great detail about the 2006 coaching search. Was very interesting to read the story according to the man doing the search since so many stories were told in 2006 and since.
Here's how Mal tells it:
Here's how Mal tells it:
- He had a small group of people as a committee. He does not name the members of the committee, though.
- At the first meeting, they made a unanimous decision - get Nick Saban.
- Chuck Neinas' firm was hired to be a search firm only to get the attention of the media and fans.
- Between Mal's nephew Chuck working on CNS' Lake Burton home and a team member, Mal realized CNS would be interested.
- Mal started getting pressure to hire a coach ASAP instead of waiting on the Dolphins' season to end, leading him to make a list of coaches to contact.
- One of the first coaches Mal says he reached out to was Steve Spurrier. They talked a few times on the telephone. The OBC told Mal "under different circumstances he might very well be interested in the job, but he was in his early years of trying to lift the Gamecock program to a level it had never experienced." Mal told Spurrier he understood but would still like to meet in NYC at the Hall of Fame dinner.
- Mal and Jon Gilbert (associate athletic director) went to NYC for the annual Football Foundation dinner on December 3. He planned to meet with 3 coaches while in NYC.
- The first meeting was with Steve and Jerri Spurrier. Mal writes he told Spurrier in the meeting "Steve, I'm not going to another coach until you give me a definite answer that you aren't interested." Again, Spurrier said under different circumstances he might be interested, but he was comfortable with the situation in Columbia.
- Monday night, Mal also met with Jimmy Sexton for the first time. He wanted to show Jimmy what UA could do for Coach Saban, etc. Jimmy was very clear - CNS wasn't talking to anyone until the Dolphins' season ended. They agreed on a certain time on that Wednesday to talk to confirm if it would be possivle for Mal to speak with CNS at the end of the season.
- The plan was to meet with two other coaches: Rich Rodriguez and Greg Schiano.
- On Tuesday, Mal meet with RichRod and his wife and then Schiano. While impressed with both, Mal felt RichRod would have an easier time adapting to the Alabama culture.
- Jimmy Sexton's phone call didn't come at the agreed time, which led to Mal offering the job to RichRod. As we know, the offer was accepted
- "About five or ten minutes after Rich had accepted the job, my phone rang. It was Jimmy Sexton. He was apologetic about being late, but his plane had been delayed and he was in the air with no cell phone coverage."
- Even though Mal told RichRod to not let the agreement go public, it did.
- While meeting with a member of Rod's representatives and Finus Gaston to work on the contract, Mal heard his doorbell ring. One of the team members was at the door with some important information. The person told Mal he had been making phone calls and found out Rod was going to pull out of the deal later that night and the team should focus on Saban.
- As we know, Rod pulled out of the deal that night.
- The following night, Mal had his team members park in down the street and walk in the dark to his house. They held the private meeting to discuss Saban. This was the meeting where CNS' potential salary was discussed by looking at Bob Stoops' salary and the impact his success on the OU athletic department's revenue (it had quadrupled since Stoops arrived).
- Mal meet with Dr. Witt and Paul Bryant, Jr. the following week to discuss the salary. After getting their blessings, Mal got his team to get Jimmy Sexton to come to Tuscaloosa to talk.
- The meeting was successful, but one thing remained - Saban's willingness to meet with Mal.
- Mal knew he needed to have some backup plans, so he flew to Houston prior to going to Shreveport for the Independence Bowl. He met with Mike Sherman about the job.
- There was another coach Mal says he met with on two occasions: David Cutcliffe. Mal was worried about DC's health but was assured everything was fine. Mal writes this interesting tidbit: "I also knew that the top-ranked high school quarterback had told David he would sign with Alabama if he became the head coach."
- On his way back from Shreveport, Mal made a phone call to Lance Thompson to find out what he thought CNS would do. Lance could only tell Mal "Nick is his own man but I wish you well, Coach."
- Then, Mal headed off to Miami on Sunday, December 31, and the rest is history.
