And I mean all in.
“We’re going to offer four-year scholarships,” Saban said. “Our whole conference is going to do it, all the schools, I think.
“And we’re happy to do it.”
My first thought upon reading that was the marketplace has spoken. Saban’s been getting negative feedback on the recruiting trail about his recruiting practices and that, combined with Auburn’s embrace of multi-year scholarships, left him little choice but to follow suit.
My second thought is that he’s already two steps ahead of everyone else in figuring out how to game the system.
… However, Saban said he has “no problem” with multiyear scholarships because “they aren’t that big of a change.”
“Most of the conditions are still the same,” he says. “The player will still have to be academically eligible. He will still have to obey team rules and regulations. And the player is still going to have the same rights and the same appeals process that he has now.”
Saban’s stand goes against speculation that Alabama — which has had high attrition rates in recent offseasons — would be a holdout in the move to multiyear scholarships because it would make it more difficult to “cut” players.
“We don’t cut players,” Saban said. “I don’t know anyone who does. So I don’t think that’s an issue.”
In his mind, it probably isn’t.
My third thought is that the first time he uses this to negatively recruit against SOD and Spurrier, it’s going to be priceless.
********************************************************************************
UPDATE: Michael Felder mulls this over.
Get The Picture 
I see a 2-3x increase in the number of academic and disciplinary dismissals on the horizon for the bottom of the depth chart. Saban will use these levers to cull the herd and claim the mantle of being the SEC coach that is “academics first/football second” and a no nonsense zero tolerance disciplinarian. “At Alabama it is academics, character and then football”. If you find yourself at #3 on the depthchart, I am suggesting you be 30min early to every class and knock-off the jay walking on the streets of Tuscaloosa.
LikeLike
I think the Tuscaloosa doctors are going to start finding a lot of soft-tissue damage on Tide players.
LikeLike
I think that will backfire when bias toward better players is shown and spotlighted for reruits to see. When the BigTimers are shown favoritism in academics and character, it will be swiftly translated by the have-nots as a formidable weapon that even the obtuse can understand.
LikeLike
If Saban is working on a highly rated RB on the recruiting trail and his 4th string 4 year scholarship tailback is 15 minutes late for practice then someone might get dismissed for “violation of team rules”.
LikeLike
Next semester registration just became a bitch for Mr. 4th String as the only available courses are Advanced Calculus and a graduate level Quantum Mechanics course.
LikeLike
when he is just a PE major.
LikeLike
And has not yet passed the Admissions Test.
LikeLike
So you’re saying that Saban is making time for this *%#?
LikeLike
I’m betting the number of injuries and medical hardships increases. If you are 3rd on the depth chart….some times a nagging bruise will not allow you to finish that football career.
LikeLike
how long before some kid buried on the depth chart tells Nick he can “shove that scholarship up his ass with a red hot poker”? Robby Benson wants to know.
LikeLike
Nick Saban- leaving a trail of butthurt in his wake since 2000.
LikeLike
Floyd — Using unsophisticated, redneck cliches like “butthurt” since 9:33AM. I think you left off the ubiquitous ‘”just sayin'” or “get ‘er done”
LikeLike
Well that was a little harsh and unnecessary. Butthurt is a common colloquialism used often by sports fans. On both coasts. Mr. Grizzard used it.
“…. disband the EPA tomorrow and Republicans will still be butt-hurt over something.” Lewis Grizzard.
If Lewis used it … it must be ok. He was from Georgia and was a DGD! Besides ….. he hated Chicago and you use it in you handle.
“Bless your heart”…….just sayin’
LikeLike
Well, good for Lewis. I am aware of his views on Chicago…doesn’t make it right, just his opinion/experience I was born and raised in GA…great place to live, but it is not heaven on earth either. Not sure how this ended up in a regional debate? It was really meant to be a comment on a very overused phrase(s) that have become trite.
LikeLike
I think when you wrote redneck it became regional as soda pop. I noticed you lumped “just sayin’ in there too, in your “All things redneck” meme. Methinks you are spending way to much time away from your roots.
“(By the way, the answer to Chris’ question in his header is “because we can”. Just sayin’.)’ The Senator/GTP…………… definitely not a redneck.
“Chris Griffin: Where do you think you go when you die?
Southern boy: I learned from church that if you’re good you go to heaven but if you’re bad, you go to a place where the dead believe they’re still living and they pray for death but death won’t come.
Chris Griffin: Chicago?”
😉
LikeLike
Ha! Yeah, I hear ya. Believe it or not, Chicago is a great place to live and raise a family, “yankees” notwithstanding. Actually, Chicago and midwestern culture in general is a lot more southern in its sensibility, values, etc. than folks in the south would imagine if they have never lived or spent much time here. I think people assume the north = NY, Phil, Bos. Whatever the case, I have learned by travelling all over the world for work that people are people and there are not nearly as many material differences as we might think.
LikeLike
Fair enough.
LikeLike
I agree with you about Chicago, ChicagoDawg, but AHD’s point should be well taken. The meme and regional insult don’t belong here anymore than to Chicago. I lived there for 8 years, south of the city and in the Rolling Meadows area. Worked near downtown, but more toward Northwestern U. Have recommended to my son to look seriously at the area if job change occurs both from the aspect of opportunity , but principally for the diversity of people. “Meltingpot” doesn’t begin to express Cicago and the area. Out-of-doors man? Look no further than the immediate surrounding area for great diversity of hunting and fishing. Up to Wis, down to Indiana, over to Michigan for pheasants and even salmon fishing. “Field of onions” is in the center of a great place to raise a family as well as our beloved Georgia. Chicago is in the finest region for good brewing tastes that I have found in the U.S., bar none. Point Beer was the best when I lived there. I continue to communicate regularly with friends and professionals in and near Chicago. Wolf Trap and July 4th at Lake Michigan are events to be experienced in your lifetime along with Flavors of Chicago.
Next week in Travelog, I will sing the Desserts of South Georgia, from clear springs swimming in the summer to Quail Hunting in the fall. Right now I’m hung up on approaching Spring football at Georgia.
LikeLike
I posted about this the other day. 1 year scholarships or 4 years scholarships, Saban will just keep on doing what he has been doing all along and the SEC and the NCAA will do absolutely NOTHING about it.
LikeLike
Methinks Little Big Man has forked tongue larger than his caricatured opening at the other end of his body. He voted for the override and now embraces it? He’s slicker than a P.T. Barnum turd and reeks even more. I’m looking forward to his book “Godliness and Football Trophies at Wal Mart”. Except it will only pass the smell test in Alabama.
LikeLike
Pingback: Post #166: Thursday Morning Hangover « sugarfalling