Nick Saban believes that a playoffs-or-bust mentality among top programs in college football is unfair to coaches.
Saban feared that a four-team playoff would raise expectations too high for certain programs and devalue other bowl games, and he fears this is already happening.
“I don’t think there’s any question about it,” Saban said Wednesday, via ESPN.com’s Dan Murphy. “In some circumstances, I saw it happen this year. Coaches who won nine games and averaged winning 9.5 games over 15 years lose their job. Based on what standard?”
While he didn’t name names, Saban sounds like he was talking about Georgia’s firing of Mark Richt. Les Miles was also nearly fired this season despite winning nine games and a long track record of success at LSU.
Saban doesn’t believe the playoff should be expanded, but that programs should be more reasonable in accessing things.
The funny thing is Saban has played a significant role in setting the standard. More than any other program, Alabama’s seasons are considered failures if they don’t challenge for the title because of the astonishingly high standard Saban has set for the program. He knows it, too, and has admitted recently that he’s not sure how long that standard can be maintained.
