Nick Saban cracks USF

[SnookAU]

I don't think that's overly relevant to Alabama though.  It's not Vanderbilt in terms of academics.

But what is relevant is the Big East's standards as compared to the ACC or SEC.... which is what Saban was alluding to.

Perfect example - Noel Devine

[SnookAU]

Article sure sounds like sour grapes to me.  Not just towards USF, but sour grapes none the less.

I agree.  He lumps Rutgers and West Virginia in there and then doesn't elaborate.   He also mentions "rival coaches" (plural) and AGAIN doesn't elaborate.  He only throws Saban under the bus.

[olafberserker]

Article sure sounds like sour grapes to me.  Not just towards USF, but sour grapes none the less.

[MrFreakinMiyagi]

I'd really like to know how the media got Saban onto this topic...

People don't like him. Him saying something like this gives reporters something to roll with.

[SnookAU]

Saban's quotes:

"The distribution of players is not the same for everybody,"  ACCURATE

"There's a significant amount of players who don't qualify (at some schools) and they end up being pretty good players at some other schools.'  ACCURATE

'I think there are six guys starting on South Florida's defense who probably could have gone to Florida or Florida State but Florida and Florida State couldn't take them. And if you do a good job of recruiting that way ..."  INACCURATE

2 out of 3 ain't bad...

[MrFreakinMiyagi]

So you are conceiding victory and admitting you only argued because the Alabama homer inside you wont let anyone citicize your coach of your unranked team?

My only argument is that there is some basis to what he has said. I doubt that bitterness is one of them.

[SnookAU]

Here's the Birmingham news article (where this all started):

I'd really like to know how the media got Saban onto this topic...

http://www.al.com/sports/birminghamnews/rmelick.ssf?/base/sports/1191313513257540.xml&coll=2&thispage=1

[MrFreakinMiyagi]

Im sorry when did Noel Devine start going to USF?

When did anyone say that WVU got where they got because of low standards? And why would I care anymore about that kind of ignorance than I would about Saben's?

What kid part am I playing perfectly? You mean the part that provides all the reasons why Saben sounded like an idiot, and 'Bama fan comes in and tells us all the reasons why Saben is a saint? and asks why people wont levae him alone and why USF fans even care about his comments. You are playing the part of 'Bama homer real good.

You have put a spin on EVERYTHING that I have said. You have even COMPLETELY disregarded that I agreed that Saban was off with his "6 player" statement.

I have made no comment about Saban being a "saint". I simply stated that Saban has done things to prove that he is not bitter towards USF........... You know, exactly what you have been labeling his as from the get go.

"Are all Bama natives this dumb"- Pefect example of how you have been acting childish.

[olafberserker]

You are completely off base with "coming out of left field". Do you think that Saban called a press conference for this? No, he was asked a question. I told you that I thought that he shouldn't have answered it the way that he did, but again, he id not one to pull any punches. You're a Saban fan........ So, you know this already

Saban's comments are a non-story. What he has said now is "sour grapes", but when he aided Taylor, we heard NOTHING about it. Obviously there are no sour grapes there.

Noel Devine couldn't qualify for the Betty Crocker School of Cooking, but he got into WVU. Many dropped comments about that. I didn't hear you crying like a little girl then.

I agree. I'm not much of a Saban fan myself and he could've handled this better but that's just the way he is.

I think this is a non-story as well. I see Saban's comments in all these articles but the media leaves out what the question was... He didn't just bring this up out of no where. It sounds as if it was a bit baited and now just the quotes are published. I'd like to see the whole context.

Any word on what the question was that Saban was asked that drew these comments?

As I understood, the question was in relation to how some of the smaller/upstart programs in the country were able to achieve such success.  I don't know the exact question though.

[SnookAU]

Im sorry when did Noel Devine start going to USF?

This is more related to "Big East vs SEC academic standards" than it is a "USF vs Alabama academic standards."

So you are conceiding victory and admitting you only argued because the Alabama homer inside you wont let anyone citicize your coach of your unranked team?

[olafberserker]

The fact that he brough USF into the answer to the question with specifics (6 players) smacks of sour grapes and/or jealousy of their current success.

Okay I'll ask again, in what context would that statement have been appropriate?

Says the academic standards are too easy. Not surprising since his star RB came to USF after being academically ineligible at Alabama and now USF is doing so much better than 'bama. It's bad enough that USF has better recruiting grounds (and he knows it) and now he has to lose the recruits he lures away from this state only to see them return when they dont make grades there. Sour grapes. Guy is a real piece of work. Maybe he should've coached a little better and beat my 'Noles before he asked for a shot at that powerhouse USF team

USF Coach Slams Remarks On Academic Standards


TAMPA – University of South Florida football coach Jim Leavitt vehemently disagreed with a quote from Alabama coach Nick Saban that claims USF's quick success is because the Bulls have lesser academic standards than other programs.

"It's not right [what Saban said], we've done what we've done because we've worked extremely hard," Leavitt said to reporters after today's weekly news conference.

In today's Birmingham News, Saban was quoted saying:

"The distribution of players is not the same for everybody. There's a significant amount of players who don't qualify [at some schools] and they end up being pretty good players at some other schools. I think there are six guys starting on South Florida's defense who probably could have gone to Florida or Florida State but Florida and Florida State couldn't take them. And if you do a good job of recruiting that way ..."

Leavitt disputed Saban's statement.

"Of 110 players, we have two nonqualifiers, one starts, one doesn't," Leavitt said. "The Big East doesn't allow nonqualifiers. For a guy to make a mistake like that is not right.

"I'm not down on [Saban]. Whoever gave him that information needs to correct it. Certainly this person [Birmingham News reporter Ray Melick], what right does he have to write an article without verifying all the facts. This is why I get disturbed sometimes, because now this article goes out.

"It's an absolute wrong to do that."

USF senior Mike Jenkins disagreed with Saban's statement, even noting Saban offered Jenkins a full scholarship to LSU when Jenkins was a senior at Bradenton Southeast High School.

Ironically, USF freshman running backs Jamar Taylor and Mike Ford both initially signed with Alabama. Taylor enrolled at Alabama in January and was the Tide's leading rusher in the spring game, but transferred to USF over the summer to be closer to his family.

Ford signed with Alabama out of Sarasota High School but did not qualify. He went to a prep school before coming to USF in January.