One of the greatest tactics for a head coach is getting the attention of his players in different ways.
Nick Saban, 72, has evolved as a head coach in 17 years at the University of Alabama. He started his tenure with the Crimson Tide in sternly building the program back to prominence. It was a “my way or the highway” approach, and some did not but in.
Saban won championships with the philosophy, but he recognized some players respond better to a different coaching staff. He’s developed in patience and understand for each athlete, which has yielded more championships and a Heisman-winning quarterback. Saban faces his former team on Saturday, and he explained to Pat McAfee the unique way he’s gotten his team’s attention in practice.
“Yesterday at practice, I said ‘I want everyone to put their hand over their ear.’ Because I don’t want what I’m about to say to go in one ear and out of the other. It was like the ultimate attention getter. It was like ‘What is he going to say now?’ It is the same thing I’ve been saying all week, but they listened. They didn’t listen before, but they listened yesterday. You are always coming up with a new way to get them to pay attention and not focus on the wrong things.”
Saban said it is a challenge to keep the players focused, but this team is willing to listen and lock in.
It has LSU on Saturday, and the Tide has to be at its best.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
