Tide coach talks about recent hires, recruiting

TUSCALOOSA | Looking refreshed despite a late-night dinner of chicken noodle soup after yet another long day of recruiting, University of Alabama coach Nick Saban took some time out of his schedule Thursday to speak to reporters.

Among the topics: talking about new hires Jim McElwain and Bobby Williams, negative recruiting by rival schools, poking reporters for misinformation during the coaching search, and his take on Sunday’s Super Bowl XLII.

“OK, what’s the hot scuttlebutt today? What’s the new misinformation?” Saban said with a smile. “You guys are good at it, and I want to know what it is today, because I can’t keep up with it all. You guys are so far off the beat it is a shame you are called professionals.”

Settling down to the business of talking about new offensive coordinator Jim McElwain, Saban said that the former Fresno State assistant was by far the most impressive of the “four or five” candidates UA interviewed for the vacancy created by Major Applewhite departing for Texas.

“Jim McElwain did a very good job, and was best candidate that we talked to relative to his presentation, the personality he has, his enthusiasm and what he has done,” Saban said. “He has a very interesting background, having played the position, was a coordinator at Montana State, going on to Louisville and then to Michigan State, where he was assistant head coach and they had very good offensive teams with a lot of diversity in their offenses.

“Then he went to pro ball for a year as a quarterback coach and probably learned a lot. Then he came back to do a great job at Fresno to improve their offensive team and have significant impact on their improvement. Their quarterback played a lot better, statistically, and all those things contributed to winning.

“From offensive philosophy, balance and making explosive plays, being a good third-down team, score touchdowns in the red area, not turn the ball over, all these things were important philosophically to Jim, and I was pleased and happy we could get him to take the job.”

Saban made it a point to emphasize that, while McElwain was hired to spice up Alabama’s offense and will be calling the plays as Applewhite did last season, the Crimson Tide’s offensive looks will not incur any drastic alterations.

“We have an offense here that is Alabama’s offense,” Saban said. “We will add a little diversity to it. We have 50 players and a bunch of coaches who know the system, but we want to add and tweak the system to add diversity and do a better job in areas we need to do better at — turning the ball over, getting a better screen game, formation utilization, getting the ball in playmakers’ hands. ... New enthusiasm and new ideas are certainly welcome. The offensive coordinator here is the offensive coordinator. He calls the plays, is a leader on offense and all that.”

Hoping to put to rest any possible scuttlebutt about perceived differences between Applewhite and offensive line coach Joe Pendry, Saban said that Applewhite’s decision to return to coach at his alma mater was done with Saban’s blessing.

“Major Applewhite is a fine young coach who did an outstanding job here for us,” Saban said. “He has a tremendous reputation at Texas with their supporters and fans. Going back to a place you have special feeling for, that is the reason he gave me, so that is what I believe. [Texas coach] Mack [Brown] thought it was a big positive for his program, and it worked out.

“I did not see a problem on our offensive staff last year. We developed an offense based on all the expertise and things in our room. I didn’t see any. Joe Pendry has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and you would hope the other guys would embrace that, so that you develop good chemistry and utilize strengths. That is what we will continue to work toward. Offensive line coaches are a very important part of what you do, and Joe Pendry did an outstanding job doing it. Major did a good job doing his job, and I don’t have any issues with anybody on our staff. If we did, we would do something about it.”

While McElwain was the more closely followed hire, Saban also wanted to point out his satisfaction on the hire of special teams/tight end coach Bobby Williams.

“Bobby Williams is an outstanding coach and a great personality,” Saban said. “He is well-liked by the players, and a very knowledgeable football guy and great recruiter. We have worked together on several occasions, and we are pleased and happy he is back with us.”

Although Saban’s staff is currently full, the coach addressed the possibility that defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach Kevin Steele is still a candidate to accept the job as inaugural coach at South Alabama.

“I don’t know what the process and procedure that South Alabama is going through, but Kevin Steele has done an outstanding job for us and would be a marvelous job for anyone who would hire him,” Steele said. “Kevin is a great recruiter and a fine person. He is good at coaching players and is a leader. I can’t say enough good things about Kevin Steele. I would never ever hold an assistant back from his personal goals and aspirations, and we will be very supportive of Kevin in this circumstance.”

When asked about possible negative recruiting by other SEC schools, Saban pointedly said that neither he nor his staff engage in anything other than selling Alabama to potential players.

“College recruiting isn’t ugly to me, because we go about it with a great institution, a great opportunity here, and we go on the road and sell that,” Saban said. “We sell the opportunities young people have to come here and do that. I never say a word about another institution. I don’t know anything about that. If there is one ugly thing, it is negative recruiting. It is usually, A, talking about what they don’t know about or, B, what they are envious of. Young people shouldn’t be subjected to that, and our staff shouldn’t engage in that.”

As for Sunday’s Super Bowl XLII matchup between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots, Saban said he will be able to watch the game after recruiting finishes up — but that he won’t pick a winner.

“They are both great teams,” said Saban, who ironically coached the Miami Dolphins to the last regular-season loss by New England two seasons ago.

“I have actually coached with both these guys, [Giants coach] Tom Coughlin with Syracuse, and Bill Belichick in Cleveland. When I watch the game, I root for good football, the players I know to do well, and the friends of mine to do well. Bill is a friend and they have a great team and could create a special record if they win. But I won’t be rooting for one team or the other.

As for the soup, Saban said that wife Terri being out of town means he is living a more Spartan existence at home.

“My wife is out of town right now, so I am kinda ‘bacheloring’ it this week,” Saban said with a smile. “[Daughter] Kristen made me dinner last night when I got home from recruiting. That was some pretty good chicken noodle soup.”

Reach David Wasson at david.wasson@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0229.