Attitude Shifts About Dabo?

Very likely Dabo will be the best coach available when Saban hangs it up other than maybe Jimbo Fisher. Excluding Urban because he's already in a blueblood job. TAMU and Clemson are a cut below Alabama in the natural order of things but they're very good programs that could keep a guy.

So, yes, Alabama will likely make Dabo turn down the job once or twice before moving onto other suitors. They'll probably go for Jimbo Fisher next and make him turn Alabama down then hopefully move onto up and comers where I think they should go anyway.

BamaMoon said:

Hopefully it's a few more years anyway. Assuming CNS coaches another 3-5 years, Dabo, who is 48 right now, will be in his early 50s.

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I believe 3 years would be the max. I don't see Saban coaching beyond the 2020 season. The few times I've talked to him, he seemed tired-not that he would admit it, but I've seen a big difference from 2014 to now. And, to be clear, this is my opinion on on my interactions with him, not anything he, or anyone else, has said to me regarding how much longer he will continue coaching.

BamaMoon said:

Very interesting! There are some who, when speculating on CNS's career at Bama, say they think (hope) he'll coach another 8-10 years.

Most of us think CNS really wants to at least tie Coach Bryant with 6 NCs. If he's really only going to coach 3 more years he better cash in on this years CFP!

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I'm sure every Bama fan "hopes" he coaches 8+ more years, but at his age, and with the amount of time and energy he puts into his craft, I just don't believe that's reasonable.

I also have to wonder what might happen IF his age actually becomes a detriment to recruiting. I believe Byrne will bring in the best possible coach when Saban retires, though none of us know when that will be.

CajunCrimson said:

Fisher is nowhere close to Coach Saban or Dabo. Wouldn’t touch him with an orange 10ft pole

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Every year but this past one would disagree. He's a great coach but a cut below Saban, Meyer, and Swinney.

Take a look at his record without Jameis Winston-pretty average.

rgw said:

Every year but this past one would disagree. He's a great coach but a cut below Saban, Meyer, and Swinney.

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Schools are already using Nick's age against him.

drwho said:

I'm sure every Bama fan "hopes" he coaches 8+ more years, but at his age, and with the amount of time and energy he puts into his craft, I just don't believe that's reasonable.

I also have to wonder what might happen IF his age actually becomes a detriment to recruiting. I believe Byrne will bring in the best possible coach when Saban retires, though none of us know when that will be.

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USCBAMA said:

As for recruiting issues, if there are any they've not been made public. He seems to recruit within the rules, but he does have a reputation for negative recruiting. Things like providing parents and/or recruits articles of crimes in Columbia and other competing school towns. He was quoted as telling recruits that clemson was the "Christian school in the state". He supposedly sent parents articles about an opposing coach caught urinating on the streets. He allegedly told Clowney's mom that Clowney would end up in jail if he went to USC. So while he seems to follow ncaa rules, there does not appear to be much he's not willing to do or say within the rules to land a recruit. But anyone thinking he's the only coach out there doing that is naive.

Anyway, that’s a local SC take from a non-insider.

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You mean like telling a recruit a coach 5 years older than him is "on the back end of his career?"

https://twitter.com/abc/status/943521437855436802

Dabo is the king of negative recruiting. Would sell his mother to sign a kid. Never have liked his style or personna.I am sure some on here will continue to defend him.

RTR91 said:

You mean like telling a recruit a coach 5 years older than him is "on the back end of his career?"

https://twitter.com/abc/status/943521437855436802

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Yes saban is older, but he is not the average coach. Until he goes senile or loses a few steps no one can negative recruit on him. The facts just do not pan out. Saban is still getting Bama to playoff, miss 2 playoffs and the negative stuff may work. Until then I do not think age is a weapon, not as long as he is getting to playoff and sending good players to NFL. Results say much more than some guy taking cheap shots. I understand why they do it, but it will not stick to Saban like it will to Urban. Urban has not gotten to playoffs as much and lost big last trip. Losing a few makes that negative stuff stick pretty easily. Titles kind of make that stuff fall on deaf ears. Then these are kids we speak of, who knows what drives them these days LOL

RT27 said:

Yes saban is older, but he is not the average coach. Until he goes senile or loses a few steps no one can negative recruit on him. The facts just do not pan out. Saban is still getting Bama to playoff, miss 2 playoffs and the negative stuff may work. Until then I do not think age is a weapon, not as long as he is getting to playoff and sending good players to NFL. Results say much more than some guy taking cheap shots. I understand why they do it, but it will not stick to Saban like it will to Urban. Urban has not gotten to playoffs as much and lost big last trip. Losing a few makes that negative stuff stick pretty easily. Titles kind of make that stuff fall on deaf ears. Then these are kids we speak of, who knows what drives them these days LOL

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CNS's age has been used against him in recruiting for years. It's picked up in the last couple of classes. It has worked. Teams will continue to use it, too.

Just inevitable.

RTR91 said:

You mean like telling a recruit a coach 5 years older than him is "on the back end of his career?"

https://twitter.com/abc/status/943521437855436802

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I thought this was hilarious when I saw it. Urban could coach 15 more years easily. Assuming his acid reflux doesn't act up again.

Meh - if this is the worst that Dabo and Clemson are doing in recruiting, I will eat every hat in the hat thread. Recruiting is a dirty game. We really do not want to know too much about it, so we willfully ignore the insanity.

Dabo is only 5 years younger than Urban. There are aspects about Dabo you have to like and others that make you think he's a snake.

B1GTide said:

Meh - if this is the worst that Dabo and Clemson are doing in recruiting, I will eat every hat in the hat thread. Recruiting is a dirty game. We really do not want to know too much about it, so we willfully ignore the insanity.

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Saying another coach is on the back end of his coaching career is not the worst thing a coach can say when recruiting. Saying it about a coach only 5 years older? That's just stupid.

I know some bad and dirty stuff goes on. I would hope kids of the caliber we recruit, and other good programs recruit, are smart enough to see through the BS. Like I said above, Nick is older, no doubt. But until he loses a step I just do not see his age as much of a weapon. Maybe some kids will buy it, but many coaches have done well into their 70's. As long as saban can win and get guys to the pros, all the rest is pretty lame. At this level kids either want 1 of 2 things, the great players want to go pro.......check. 2 the others want to play their way to a good education....check. The kids that are looking for other things can go elsewhere. At one time many kids avoided schools if they had bad weather or were not party places. Miami and the like used to use the night ife as a good tool. Today the players looking for that kind of stuff we do not need. Party kids usually are not going to be great additions to a team which requires a lot of sacrifice.Again every kid is different, but if age is all they have to hit Saban with they are fighting an uphill battle in my opinion. He looks and carries himself well for his age. Burnout would be my first worry, and Saban lives for football. So I do not worry about that much either. I did love when aubs always talked about his height, just showed how lame they were. Like he was going to be lining up on the line LOL.