Not affiliated with LSU in any way
whatsoever other than being alumni.
A day in the life of Nick Saban….

7:15am -   Coach LSU to BCS Championship

9:05am -   Bring Miami out of the cellar of the NFL… (note to self – need to finish this…)

1:30pm -   Sellout to Bama, bring my character to the program
(another note to self - don’t show players or staff any old press conference footage…)

4:45pm -   see if I can coach at Texas, because I will never leave the state of Texas…

Stay tuned for tomorrows schedule for Nick!

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Jimbo Fisher out as Saban moves to
assemble staff
Monday, January 08, 2007
IAN R. RAPOPORT
News staff writer
TUSCALOOSA - New Alabama coach
Nick Saban is slowly piecing together
his staff, with the emphasis on
recruiting and energy. The final list of
assistant coaches could be made
official in the next day or so, a source
with knowledge of the process said.

Saban, who was officially announced
as Alabama's 27th head coach on
Thursday after two seasons with the
Miami Dolphins, does not appear to
have hired his offensive coordinator
yet. But that search no longer includes
top candidate and current LSU
offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, two
sources said.

Saban has hired Todd Alles, a former
program assistant for Ohio State, to be
the director of football operations, one
source said. Randy Ross, a 17-year
veteran on the UA staff, had previously
held the post, though a school is not
limited to one coach in such an
off-the-field position.

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Saban has also reached out to several
offensive coordinator candidates.

Rice offensive coordinator Major
Applewhite, a former Texas
quarterback who helped guide the
Owls to the first bowl game in 45 years,
has been contacted by Saban, a
source said. The source believes
Applewhite is close to joining the staff,
though his position is not clear.

Applewhite told the Houston Chronicle
Sunday morning that he had not yet
been offered a position but said, "I'll sit
down with my wife, Julie, and we'll
make a decision this week."

One emerging candidate appears to
be Paul Petrino, the University of
Louisville's offensive coordinator. His
brother Bobby Petrino reportedly
accepted the job as the Atlanta
Falcons head coach late Sunday.

The Los Angeles Times reported that
Southern Cal offensive coordinator
Lane Kiffin received a call from Saban.

Kiffin told the newspaper, "I was willing
to listen."

Saban has offered positions to former
Dolphins assistants Bobby Williams
(running backs with Miami) and Travis
Jones (assistant defensive line coach),
a source said.

Currently, Saban has Lance
Thompson at an unspecified position,
former FSU linebackers coach Kevin
Steele at defensive coordinator, and
former Dolphins assistant Kirby Smart
at defensive backs.

Saban has also interviewed Mississippi
State running backs coach Shane
Beamer and former Houston Texans
offensive line coach Steve Marshall,
among others. His original target to
coach the offensive line - Stacy
Searles - accepted the same position
at Georgia.

While he hunts for a staff, Saban will
not attend the American Football
Coaches Association convention in
San Antonio, Texas. He has begun
keeping tabs on recruiting, one source
said, as Thompson has been placing
calls and Saban has offered a
scholarship to at least one new
prospect.

The saga with Fisher and Alabama
appears to be done, finally. Saban had
offered Fisher the job of offensive
coordinator as soon as he was hired.
But Fisher and Florida State are once
again in negotiations for a job that
Fisher had verbally agreed to take
weeks ago. All this, after FSU had
publicly withdrawn its offer to Fisher
late Saturday night.

The sticking point between Fisher and
both Alabama and FSU had been the
schools' insistence on a buyout clause
for the coveted coach, a source said.
Fisher, whose contract at LSU does
not have such a clause, balked.

Interestingly, Fisher's agent is Jimmy
Sexton, who is also the agent for Nick
Saban, and Saban has never had a
contract with a buyout clause. His new
eight-year, $32 million guaranteed
deal does not have one. Either way,
there has been no official
announcement concerning Fisher.