CNS's Best "in-game" Coaching Calls

[BamaMoon]

In a recent thread, I mentioned that I think CNS's greatest strength was his ability to recruit/develop players.

There were times his "game time" decisions made me scratch my head or just flat out frustrated me (like not using his TOs effectively). It just proved he was human.

However, in your estimation, what do you think were CNS's greatest "game-time" coaching moves/calls???

I'll throw out a couple Captain Obvious ones:

- Subbing Tua at the half against UGA, which ended in the greatest play in Bama history - 2nd and 26!!!

- The on-side kick against Clemson, which caught Clemson off guard and sent Dab into a fit!

OK, I've primed the pump. What else???

 

[Saban4Ever]

Those were the first 2 that came to mind for me also. Such great decisions.

I also like that our defense was ready (not sure if Saban decision or the DC) when Kirby tried that trick play with Justin Fields in one of the championship games.

 

[AWRTR]

In the USCe game in 2009 when GMac was struggling they just ran Ingram over and over often from the Wildcat and closed the game out. He rode the hot hand all the way down the field and took the pressure off of the QB.

 

[MikeInBama]

Not a game time decision but after the 2013 Oklahoma loss being willing to hire Lane Kiffin.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

In the USCe game in 2009 when GMac was struggling they just ran Ingram over and over often from the Wildcat and closed the game out. He rode the hot hand all the way down the field and took the pressure off of the QB.

We could have yelled "We are running to the left, good luck." before every play and they still couldn't stop it.

 

[BamaMoon]

Those were the first 2 that came to mind for me also. Such great decisions.

I also like that our defense was ready (not sure if Saban decision or the DC) when Kirby tried that trick play with Justin Fields in one of the championship games.

Yes, we played safe-defense on that punt and Kirby still ran it.

And the play looked like it was supposed to be Fields running to the left with the option to pitch back to the kicker/punter, but we had it so sniffed out that Fields abandoned the play and tried to improvise and hardly gained anything!

That was brilliant of CNS and stupid of Kirby!!!

 

[BamaMoon]

In the USCe game in 2009 when GMac was struggling they just ran Ingram over and over often from the Wildcat and closed the game out. He rode the hot hand all the way down the field and took the pressure off of the QB.

We could have yelled "We are running to the left, good luck." before every play and they still couldn't stop it.

Whew...I remember how much GMac was struggling. It was about all we could do, but the fact CNS just stuck to it took alot of guts.

And yes, they couldn't stop it! That was kind a one of MI's Heisman moments!

 

[tusks_n_raider]

In a recent thread, I mentioned that I think CNS's greatest strength was his ability to recruit/develop players.

There were times his "game time" decisions made me scratch my head or just flat out frustrated me (like not using his TOs effectively). It just proved he was human.

However, in your estimation, what do you think were CNS's greatest "game-time" coaching moves/calls???

I'll throw out a couple Captain Obvious ones:

- Subbing Tua at the half against UGA, which ended in the greatest play in Bama history - 2nd and 26!!!

- The on-side kick against Clemson, which caught Clemson off guard and sent Dab into a fit!

OK, I've primed the pump. What else???

I think this topic sheds light on CNS’s greatest weakness and that is ‘In Game’ decisions.

I remember far more questionable choices made or not made than any Savvy ones.

We won because of Recruiting, Player Development, and Consistent high level preparation and it obviously worked more than it didn’t.

The main great in game call to me is the Onside Kick vs Clemson and it probably won us the game in a game where several plays were made that could have won it.

I’m not sure I’d agree that putting Tua in the NCG was a great call because it was almost too little too late.

He should have made that move weeks before and only did it because he had a player and coaches revolt on his hands at halftime.

He was almost forced to make the call.

I’m very hard pressed to think of any other in game tactics that led to a victory through.

I’m not trying to be overly critical it’s just that in game tactics weren’t really in his wheelhouse of skills.

We were almost always prepared to win though so it didn’t matter a lot.

 

[CrimsonTitles]

It's gotta be halftime of the 2018;National Championship game when he made the decision to bench Jalen Hurts for Tua, and Tua leads a comeback win to secure 17.

 

[rolltide_21]

The game that made an impression on me, especially early on, was the 2007 Arkansas game. I thought for sure that game was lost, but the way an elite-level coach managed the situation and put the team in a position to win was great to watch, especially given all the close losses from 2003 to 2006. It remains one of the most memorable coaching displays in my mind. After that game, I did not doubt that he would be great. We had not had that level of coaching since Stallings.

 

[Cruiser]

I think Coach liked the on side kick according to "the look" he gave Dabo; that call took some cajones.

 

[PA Tide Fan]

One key call that I remember occurred during the 2012 SECCG vs. Georgia when in the 3rd quarter Saban decided to go for a 2 point conversion after a TD. It wasn't such an obvious call to make at the time with a full quarter remaining but the game ended 32-28 with Georgia knocking on the door. Had Georgia not have been forced to go for the TD at the end they could have kicked a chip shot FG to send the game to OT. The win got us to the NCG vs. ND.

 

[Power Eye]

I think this topic sheds light on CNS’s greatest weakness and that is ‘In Game’ decisions.

I remember far more questionable choices made or not made than any Savvy ones.

We won because of Recruiting, Player Development, and Consistent high level preparation and it obviously worked more than it didn’t.

The main great in game call to me is the Onside Kick vs Clemson and it probably won us the game in a game where several plays were made that could have won it.

I’m not sure I’d agree that putting Tua in the NCG was a great call because it was almost too little too late.

He should have made that move weeks before and only did it because he had a player and coaches revolt on his hands at halftime.

He was almost forced to make the call.

I’m very hard pressed to think of any other in game tactics that led to a victory through.

I’m not trying to be overly critical it’s just that in game tactics weren’t really in his wheelhouse of skills.

We were almost always prepared to win though so it didn’t matter a lot.

You don't have to have in-game creativity when it is an extremely rare circumstance that your personnel decisions or game planning is clearly not going to let you win a game. Therefore, you're right, there probably isn't a lot we can point to in terms of in-game decisions because Saban didn't have to do that. I'll remove the 2007 season, but I only recall a handful of games from 2008-2023 where it was clear by the 4th quarter we were not going to win. Florida '08, Auburn '17 and Clemson '19. I might be missing one, but even the South Carolina loss in '10 and the Ohio State loss in '15 we were in the game in the 4th quarter.

The '18 UGA national title game is the obvious one for in-game decisions, but I think we also made some offensive line changes at halftime in the '12 SECCG that allowed us to run all over UGA in the 2nd half.

 

[CaliforniaTide]

Not a game time decision but after the 2013 Oklahoma loss being willing to hire Lane Kiffin.

It was definitely the beginning of CNS starting to legitimately improve the offensive side by being open to the concepts he wasn't a fan of. Althought, I'd argue that he was more against the application of those concepts on the rule of play on the field, than the offensive transition as a whole.

 

[CaliforniaTide]

I think this topic sheds light on CNS’s greatest weakness and that is ‘In Game’ decisions.

I remember far more questionable choices made or not made than any Savvy ones.

We won because of Recruiting, Player Development, and Consistent high level preparation and it obviously worked more than it didn’t.

The main great in game call to me is the Onside Kick vs Clemson and it probably won us the game in a game where several plays were made that could have won it.

I’m not sure I’d agree that putting Tua in the NCG was a great call because it was almost too little too late.

He should have made that move weeks before and only did it because he had a player and coaches revolt on his hands at halftime.

He was almost forced to make the call.

I’m very hard pressed to think of any other in game tactics that led to a victory through.

I’m not trying to be overly critical it’s just that in game tactics weren’t really in his wheelhouse of skills.

We were almost always prepared to win though so it didn’t matter a lot.

I feel he's more of a coach that wants to own every aspect of the game so that in-game adjustments didn't always have to occur. These coaches tend to have a Plan A, and maybe a Plan B/C/etc., and if those plans are out the window, they don't know what to do. CNS always knew what to do (a difference) but sometimes had a hard time making the execution happen.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

One key call that I remember occurred during the 2012 SECCG vs. Georgia when in the 3rd quarter Saban decided to go for a 2 point conversion after a TD. It wasn't such an obvious call to make at the time with a full quarter remaining but the game ended 32-28 with Georgia knocking on the door. Had Georgia not have been forced to go for the TD at the end they could have kicked a chip shot FG to send the game to OT. The win got us to the NCG vs. ND.

That's a hidden gem and I completely forgot about it. Risky too since if we had not made the 2 then UGA could have kicked the FG to win 31-30.

So yes that 2-point call made the difference in the end.

 

[stlimprov]

The call was probably Nussmeier's, but if we're extending executive credit...there's not a more perfect call at a more perfect moment, that was perfectly executed, than the screen pass in 2012.

 

[BamaMoon]

The call was probably Nussmeier's, but if we're extending executive credit...there's not a more perfect call at a more perfect moment, that was perfectly executed, than the screen pass in 2012.

Like you, I'm not sure who called it, but really, the fact the offense came in and drove the field on the LSU defense when they had done NOTHING the whole second half is one of the great momentum coups I can ever remember.

But, I'd put that credit square on AJM for that. Proved himself to have stones of steel that game!

As for that play, it was the perfect call considering their defensive call!

 

[BamaMoon]

The game that made an impression on me, especially early on, was the 2007 Arkansas game. I thought for sure that game was lost, but the way an elite-level coach managed the situation and put the team in a position to win was great to watch, especially given all the close losses from 2003 to 2006. It remains one of the most memorable coaching displays in my mind. After that game, I did not doubt that he would be great. We had not had that level of coaching since Stallings.

I was at that game and remember the come back, but can you identify a specific play call or moment that you remember thinking was a great call?

I just remember JPW being cool as the other side of the pillow that last drive.

 

[bamajas]

I was at that game and remember the come back, but can you identify a specific play call or moment that you remember thinking was a great call?

I just remember JPW being cool as the other side of the pillow that last drive.

I'll always remember how he opted to kick the FG down 7 late. Showed he believed we'd get the ball back and could score a TD