Alabama Football: Does Nick Saban push players harder than any other coach?

Saban’s numerous refutations of the accusations are not the sole defense. Clearly, teams such as Baltimore, New England, Cincinnati and others are not concerned Saban wears out players before they reach the NFL.

Football players do play hurt. That does not mean they frequently play when injured. Playing hurt is part of the game and not the same as being injured. Where is the line, when crossed, does irreparable damage to an injured body? In football’s modern era, coaches and medical teams are cautious about player injuries.

Alabama Crimson Tide Football

Player safety is and should be carefully maintained. Alabama football does that as well as it can be done in a physically violent sport.

We are not sure we agree with Justin Nails that Saban “pushes players harder than other coaches.” On average, Alabama plays more games each season than many other teams. Players and coaches admit that practices are often more demanding than games. There is a fine line between hard enough and too much.

Nick Saban has built an Alabama football system that affords great opportunity for a player to succeed. Outside of that system, some players have faltered; Trent Richardson and Rolando McClain being the most notable.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll lauds Saban while acknowledging that some players later slip without the Alabama support system per the Washington Post.

"“I think that Nick and his football program do such an extraordinary job with their players. That’s why they’re so good when they play there. When they leave, they don’t have Nick coaching them. I think he’s that good. I think he’s that special. They’re an all-encompassing program. Their concern for their players is why they consistently perform at such a high level, and when they leave that, they don’t have that same system supporting them.”"

You will not see or hear references to that quote in sports talk electronic media. It doesn’t sizzle enough. Nonetheless, it is an important evaluation of the Saban system – “Their concern for their players” being the key words.

The debate over Saban’s methods will continue. Almost any story about “Darth Saban” drives rapt attention. That is the terrain the most successful, most respected and most hated coach in college football must tread.

Alabama football will continue building players for college and NFL success. The Washington think tank, New America, publishes a review of the top performing football programs and the academic success rate for each school. As reported by Time magazine, Alabama also excels in the student component of student-athlete.

The most recent report listed Alabama as No. 7 for academic success, the top school in the SEC and well above Washington, Colorado, Michigan and Ohio State. Perhaps next there will be an argument that Alabama football wears out players by making them study too hard.