Nick Saban has been known to publicly undress his assistant coaches when he feels their job performance isn’t up to his standards, but the Alabama coach does not think that happens all that often.
With Saban preparing to face one of his former assistants in Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, a reporter asked the Tide coach on Sunday about some of the televised blowups he has had on his assistant coaches during games. Saban downplayed them, of course.
“I don’t yell at my assistants very much at all, I don’t think,” he said, per Bryan Fischer of College Football Talk. “But there are occasions where you get upset with, whether it’s a circumstance in the game or a situation in the game, or maybe you did something that’s sort of out of the plan, and you get a little upset about it.”
Saban was seen screaming at former Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin on numerous occasions. Based on what Saban says, Kiffin was the exception.
“I don’t really ever recall getting really upset at Kirby,” Saban said. “I’m sure that he can remember a few times that I got on him unjustifiably, and maybe a couple times where maybe it was justified, I don’t know. But look, it’s always about trying to make somebody better and make them understand. I think we play a very emotional game sometimes, so I never want to get angry, and I never want to be mad, and I never want to show disappointment in a player or a coach.”
For what it’s worth, Saban became animated with current OC Brian Daboll during last week’s game against Clemson. He lit into Daboll when Alabama had the game in hand late in the fourth quarter.
Nick Saban giving Brian Daboll the @Lane_Kiffin treatment. #RollTide pic.twitter.com/DILLEEFTGw
— Kyle Burger (@kyle_burger) January 2, 2018
Kiffin has basically said he was constantly berated by Saban during his time in Tuscaloosa, and he had more unflattering things to say about his former boss this week. Saban has definitely been known to show his emotions, but Kiffin probably got it worse than anyone.
