Alabama Football: Nick Saban invades Louisiana repeatedly and with great success
By Ronald Evans
Alabama football coach, Nick Saban invades Louisiana repeatedly and every year comes away with some of the top recruits in college football.
Alabama football coach, Nick Saban brought LSU its first national championship in over 40 years in 2003. Instead of being revered for the accomplishment, Saban is reviled by LSU fans.
First, it was Nick leaving LSU for the NFL, then it was him coming back to CFB at Alabama. Since coming to Tuscaloosa in 2007, Saban’s Crimson Tide teams have won nine of 12 games against the Bengal Tigers, including the recent run of seven straight wins. One of those nine wins kept LSU from winning a national championship in 2011.
On top of all the onfield success is another affront to LSU. Nick Saban repeatedly beats out LSU head coaches for the top high school recruits in the state of Louisiana. Going back a few years, the high-profile, state of Louisiana recruits lured to Tuscaloosa were Eddie Lacy, Landon Collins, Tim Williams, Cam Robinson, Luther Davis, Kenny Bell, Denzel Duval and others. So many, in fact, it has seemed like a ‘Bayou to Bama’ pipeline.
The last two recruiting classes have been more of the same. Ed Orgeron is known as a masterful recruiter, so masterful LSU fans have anticipated Saban’s Louisiana pipeline to be cut off. It has not happened. Nick Saban has continued to be so successful recruiting the state of Louisiana, the 2018 Alabama football roster has 10 players from the state and one more who played at LSU as a freshman. LSU does not have the same success recruiting Alabama high school prospects. Only four Bengal Tigers are from Alabama.
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And it is not just the numbers that cut LSU fans so deeply. It is the loss of elite players who were deemed essential to catching up with the Crimson Tide. In fairness, LSU recruits well. Unlike Alabama football and Auburn, LSU does not have to battle another in-state program for recruits. The Bengal Tigers just cannot close all the much-needed, elite players because of Nick Saban.
Two years ago it was 5-Star, No. 1 rated LB, Dylan Moses, who grew up in Baton Rouge. The Tigers offered Moses a scholarship when he was in the eighth grade. He was an LSU verbal commit until he decided his path to NFL success was through Tuscaloosa. Losing out on Moses was a crushing blow to LSU. In that same recruiting class, 4-Star and No. 9 rated WR in the nation, Devonta Smith was at the top of LSU’s offensive list. The Amite, LA high-schooler chose the Tide and though it is trite, it is true, the rest was history.
Take a look at the Louisiana players on the current Alabama football roster.
- Dylan Moses – 5-Star LB; Baton Rouge, LA
- Devonta Smith – 4-Star WR; Amite, LA
- Isaiah Buggs – 4-Star DE; Ruston, LA
- Phidarian Mathis – 4-Star DT; Monroe, LA
- Chris Allen – 4-Star LB; Baton Rouge, LA
- Joseph Bulovas – 3-Star; No. 6 rated K; Mandeville, LA
- Shyheim Carter – 4-Star CB; Kentwood, LA
- Irv Smith Jr. – 3-Star TE; New Orleans, LA
- Eddie Smith – 3-Star CB; Slidell, LA
- Slade Bolden – 3-Star APB; West Monore, LA
- Saivion Smith – 4-Star; No. 1 rated JUCO CB; played at LSU as a freshman
This season Saban and Orgeron are fighting over another player from Amite, LA. 5-Star, DT, Ishmael Sopsher is the No. 1 rated DT and the No. 6 rated player overall in the nation. The Alabama football vs. LSU battles rage on all year, every year. Nick Saban wins more than his share. So much so it has nearly driven Bengal Tigers’ fans mad.
Next. Tiger Stadium is Bryant-Denny West. dark
Saturday night, the sight of Dylan Moses trotting on the field for the first Crimson Tide defensive possession – while Devin White sits and watches for a half of football. It may be more than some LSU fans can handle. Borrowing a title from an old Fats Domino song – Ain’t that a shame!