Alabama Football: Nick Saban talks discipline and other lessons beyond football

In a long conversation with Eli Gold, Alabama football coach, Nick Saban provided insight into the Tide program and how he has adjusted.

Alabama football coach, Nick Saban reviewed with Eli Gold what is happening with him, his players and staff. He also shared how he has adapted to a world of reduced personal contact. One of Saban’s qualities is uncluttered thinking. From that sharp mind, he shared some current football and life lessons.

While talking to Gold, Saban said he is one of only three employees whose work allows access to the Mal Moore Complex. As he always has done, he is in the office early each morning. He works there until noon. Much of the time is spent in ‘Zoom’ meetings.

Asked about the new Alabama football strength and conditioning team, Saban gave an enthusiastic review. He said he had followed the work of Dr. Matt Rhea and David Ballou for years. Saban explained the hires,

"we wondering if … we could … improve performance and injury prevention because we seemed like we’d gotten a lot of guys hurt this past season"

Having consulted with multiple experts, Saban re-focused his attention on Rhea and Ballou and their excellent work in reducing injuries at Notre Dame and Indiana. Interviews with the pair excited Saban,

"there was no question that from a sports science standpoint and from a conditioning standpoint they were light-years in advance of what a lot of people have done"

For Nick Saban, exercising discipline is not just something for Alabama football players. Doing the right thing when that thing is supposed to be done is a Saban foundational principle.

"do what they’re supposed to do and not do the things that they’re not supposed to do … discipline that you have to have that becomes a part of your character because you have to do it when nobody’s looking over your shoulder."

Nick Saban may or may not have followed the career of American soccer legend, Mia Hamm. For those unfamiliar with Hamm, she is the greatest woman soccer play the United States has ever produced. Asked to talk about ‘greatness’, Hamm often gives one example. It comes from a note given her by her coach at the University of North Carolina, Anson Dorrance.

"The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion when no one else is watching"

Those words are similar to Nick Saban’s principle of discipline. In terms of doing the right thing, Saban had some advice for the general population. He advised in these difficult times, remembering we are all “interdependent” on each other. “Making the right choices and decisions” should be our individual goals.

Speaking of the Draft, Nick Saban will miss being there for the second, straight year. Last year, it was his hip recovery. This time it is the pandemic-driven ‘remote’ Draft. He told Eli, sharing in the joy of his former players and their families is special for him.