Question: Do you think Nick will meet with DeBoer after the season?

[colbysullivan]

I don’t think DeBoer wants (or needs) Saban’s help. Saban retired. It’s DeBoer’s program now.

 

[Crimson1967]

I often wonder what it would have been like if Coach Bryant had lived longer and what conversations he would have had with Perkins.

For that matter, what direction does the program take if he is still around? Does he (as the AD) sign off on Curry if Perkins still leaves when he does? Does him living another ten years set us on a path where we don’t hire Saban?

 

[CrimsonBloodn62]

I would guess that CKD has asked Saban which schools in Alabama and the surrounding states he should visit for recruits. Besides that, Saban and CKD probably casually talk.

 

[B1GTide]

There's a lot more communication between the two entities than Saban is going to admit to in any interview.

Having said that, I'd be fine with it being zero if that's what DeBoer wanted, for a handful of reasons. The first is, it never -- and I mean NEVER -- works for the last guy to come back in and direct things or even have a lot of influence on things behind the scenes, especially as long as there's anyone still working in the organization that worked for the departed guy. This isn't specific to football, it also holds true in business.

In Alabama's case, it's made even more delicate by the fact that defensively, Saban's specialty, we've moved almost completely away from his preferred system to run what we're running. It's also not like the defense performed badly this year -- total points and yardage allowed is inline with Bama's rolling average over about the last 5-7 seasons under Saban, and we ended up doing some things this year better than he had been doing in recent years (interceptions, raw pass defense, etc.).

Furthermore, the thing that was giving Saban the most trouble in his last couple of years, outside of attracting top assistants, was roster management, and I think in that regard DeBoer might actually be better. Or at least, we're now operating with a better structure (meaning Courtney Morgan and his department).

Still, they talked this year and I'm sure they'll talk going forward, but I don't think Saban is sitting on a bag of secrets that would fix everything and just waiting to be asked before revealing them to all.

Based on some of Saban's comments on Gameday, I think that he sees Wommack's defense as too simple, therefore easy to scheme against.

 

[AlexanderFan]

I would guess that CKD has asked Saban which schools in Alabama and the surrounding states he should visit for recruits. Besides that, Saban and CKD probably casually talk.

I think there are some things Saban can comment on that wouldn’t be stepping on toes. There’s probably some connections he could make available for CKD if he chooses to go down some avenues.

You have one of the greatest competitive sports minds on retainer, you’d be a fool to not at least listen to what he says on some topics.

What CKD does with that information is entirely up to him.

 

[UAH]

I don’t think DeBoer wants (or needs) Saban’s help. Saban retired. It’s DeBoer’s program now.

I don't believe that Saban would devote the time to help in a meaningful way. I do believe that DeBoer would be much better prepared as a coach today if he had spent at least a year as an intern with CNS.

 

[Roll Tide 00]

Meet with him and say what?Sorry for that mess at QB I left you with and that you were forced to use or risk losing the team?Sorry for picking a real convenient time to retire when I knew this roster I assembled was average?Sorry for saying your team shouldn’t be in the playoff when you ended up being on the bubble and could have possibly got in? Something along those lines?

 

[Bama Lee]

I don’t think DeBoer wants (or needs) Saban’s help. Saban retired. It’s DeBoer’s program now.

If I was a coach, I would love to have the ability, at my own behest, to jawbone with the best coach ever. Sometimes it’s very helpful to get an outside point of view who is familiar with the inner workings. Now thats a different thing if it is not asked for

 

[22Musso22]

Yes they did meet after the season. Here was Saban's hello to DeBoer: