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Saban takes shot at South Florida

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Alabama coach Nick Saban fired a shot at South Florida's admissions policy. "There are a significant amount of players who don't qualify and they end up being pretty good players at some other schools," Saban said in an interview with the Birmingham News. "I think there are six guys starting on the South Florida defense who probably would have gone to Florida or Florida State, but Florida and FSU couldn't take them." Cheap shot? It certainly came off that way to USF coach Jim Leavitt, a rising star who did not care for someone dumping mud on his team's historic accomplishment.

New York Daily News

Nick Saban , AP Nick Saban , AP
October 4, 2007  07:44 AM ET

So what is his point? I am sure that he has some players Harvard would not let play on their football team.

October 4, 2007  07:55 AM ET

Well FSU has a player that should not have played last weekends game b/c of an arrest so what is his point......

October 4, 2007  08:14 AM ET

wait - Florida and FSU have admissions standards? Other than breathing and being really really good at football? I don't believe it. After all, Nick Saban is the one saying this stuff - when has he told the truth?

October 4, 2007  08:21 AM ET

Nick Saban is an idiot. A loud mouth quitter who couldn't hack it in the pro's. Apparently he's mad that USF is doing better than he is. His ego is a fragile fragile thing.

October 4, 2007  08:24 AM ET

An SEC coach talking about recruiting standards? You're kidding, right?

October 4, 2007  08:32 AM ET

I wasn't aware that there were so many 'rocket scientists' playing football at Bama?

Jim Leavitt started his program 10 years ago with absolutely nothing. Saban started his this year with 100 years of history and $40 million in his pocket. And only one of the two is going to beat Auburn this year! Major 'props' to USF for all that they've accomplished.

Can we all just laugh at Saban questioning somebody else's ethics and integrity?

October 4, 2007  08:32 AM ET

One football coach calling another football program's standards low? Aren't they all low? Can they really be called 'standards'? Is he assuming all stupid people are good football players or that good football players are stupid?

October 4, 2007  08:35 AM ET

Why is USF's success even on his radar? Why is he even worried about it? The guy is a moron. Worry about your own team, let alone some team outside your conference.

October 4, 2007  08:37 AM ET

Can we all just laugh at Saban questioning somebody else's ethics and integrity?

Trainwreck | 10/04/07
AGREED, AGREED!! Open mounth insert knee!!! What a joke Saban is becoming.

October 4, 2007  08:42 AM ET

Nick Saban is a loser, who's just trying to take the heat away from the fact that S. Florida would wipe the field with his Crimson Tide. He's walked out on every program he's been involved with, so Bama fans, get ready for him to walk out on you too.

October 4, 2007  08:50 AM ET

South Florida is simply picking up the kids that none of the other Florida schools want or have room for and putting them on the field.

$aban, I think you should worry about bama.

October 4, 2007  08:52 AM ET

Jim Leavitt is a stud! To do what he has done in 10 years is amazing. Saban has just made himself look even more ridiculous. I wish GT would get a coach would Leavitt's enthusiasm.

October 4, 2007  08:55 AM ET

Look at all youSaban haters! ( throw me in there too.) You guys are just jealous of all his success. ( if stealing money for a job abandoned is success. ) So get off your high horses! ( and pass me a beer.) You will see Saban take the Tide all the way. ( to the bottom of the SEC.) Nick Saban is a dingle berry.

October 4, 2007  08:56 AM ET

What a punk he is. Why is he even concerned with someone outside his conference and not on his schedule?

Saying a 19 on the ACT is a joke is not accurate at all. 16 is the minimum at most public schools. The ACT in general is joke. I partied the night before, didn't study at all, put C for every answer in the science section and made a 21. Then graduated college with a 3.5

anyways, the point is those standards aren't that bad for a public school (if 19 is true). maybe they have raised it in recent years

October 4, 2007  08:58 AM ET

If you actually heard the question in the Press conference you could tell it wasn't a "rip". A reporter asked him why he thought teams like South Fla and other non-traditional powers are in the top 10. Made up article.

October 4, 2007  08:58 AM ET

Fornacis,

U r right. Take a look at their roster and it's full of Florida kids. I guess second tier players from Florida can compete with the country's best. Just ask West Vir, and Auburn. S. Florida is probably second best team in the State

October 4, 2007  08:59 AM ET

Wow..look at all the Saban haters! You guys are really funny. Saban was not taking a shot at them, the media is just playing the story up that way and you guys bit.

All Saban did was tell the truth...and he did it from experience. Mike Ford, The Bulls starting RB, tried to get into Alabama twice and couldn't do it. He wanted to play for the Tide. Since he could not, his cousin persuaded him to go to USF. FACT. Also, their back-up RB was a star at our A-Day game this spring. (You know the one where the stadium was filled and they had to deny thousands after halftime...yeah that one) He had a family reason that required him to be closer to home. So he was at Alabama too. I realize that isn't academic, but a factor nonetheless. Lastly, you may not remember, but there was a High School DL named Peanut Whitehead that could not get into Auburn or the other SEC schools recruiting him. He went to Louisville. So I'm sure that the smaller schools are enjoying the distribution of wealth, but its no real miracle. Florida is a great recruiting state and some teams are allowed to now take partial qualifiers. If they had our same standards, it might be more of a miracle. They will get great talent now. No shot at Leavitt, he's doing really well.
So guys, really, get off Saban there is no story here.

October 4, 2007  09:02 AM ET

I absolutely believe Saban. You thought maybe the SEC or Big XII was bad when it came to allowing students in. This just makes more sense than anything. Great players are getting dumber.

October 4, 2007  09:03 AM ET

Wait a minute. Saban isn't coaching the Dolphins this year? I thought I heard him say he would not be the coach at Alabama.

 
October 4, 2007  09:03 AM ET

A dingle berry? That's a good one, I haven't heard that term since my navy days. Saban's comments do make him sound a little envious of USF.

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