Nick Saban coaching tree: Kirby Smart, Lane Kiffin, Jimbo Fisher among many who worked under legend

The “greatest of all time” conversation begins and ends with Nick Saban. The former Alabama coach has done it all in his career, with multiple conference and national championships, and a coaching tree filled with some of the most iconic names in football, both past and present. 

Saban mentored bright future coaching candidates at every level from his own head coaching stops at Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995-99), LSU (2000-04), Alabama (2007-2023) and even in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins from 2005-06. Fourteen former assistants currently hold FBS head coaching jobs, while one former player is a head coach in the NFL .

Saban’s coaching tree has sprouted countless conference championships and three national titles from both the BCS and College Football Playoff eras in Georgia’s Kirby Smart and former Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher. He just had one former assistant in Steve Sarkisian (Texas) lead his team to the CFP and two in Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin and Smart lead their squads to New Year’s Six bowl wins. Even Mark Dantonio, the winningest coach in Michigan State history and a recent electee into the College Football Hall of Fame, made a name for himself coaching under Saban. 

Here’s a look at Saban’s immense coaching tree from every step of his career. 

Former college assistants under Saban

Kirby Smart: Georgia coach 

Smart coached defensive backs at LSU in 2004 and reunited with Saban in 2007 as the associate head coach and defensive backs coach at Alabama. He was bumped to defensive coordinator and remained in that position until 2015, when he was hired to take over Georgia. Since then he’s won three SEC titles and two College Football Playoff National Championships. 

Mark Dantonio: Former Michigan State coach

Dantonio was…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/nick-saban-coaching-tree-kirby-smart-lane-kiffin-jimbo-fisher-among-many-who-worked-under-legend/

Author : Will Backus

Publish date : 2024-01-11 15:08:14

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.