How Trent Richardson’s mom unintentionally told LSU coaches he was going to Alabama

Feb 24, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Birmingham Iron running back Trent Richardson (33) smiles after a game against the Atlanta Legends at Georgia State Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Like many Crimson Tide greats, Trent Richardson was also sought after by Alabama football’s rivals in high school.

Les Miles, the head coach of LSU at the time, made a push to get Richardson to come to Baton Rouge by visiting him at home. It became clear to Miles and the LSU staff during the visit that Alabama was the likely landing spot for the running back after Richardson’s mother mistakenly called Miles the name of a different SEC coach.

“We’re doing an in-home visit with Coach Miles, and my mom is calling coach Miles, ‘coach Saban’ the whole time,” Richardson said on The Dynasty: A Podcast on the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Richardson said the LSU coaches left his house that day knowing what school he was going to pick Alabama, but it did not stop them from trying to recruit him.

“She had to call that man ‘Coach Saban’ over 100 times.”

When Trent Richardson was in high school, LSU was recruiting him hard. But, what happened when former LSU coach Les Miles came to visit made it clear Richardson was always destined to tote the rock for the Tide. #RollTide pic.twitter.com/YyulV55HaE

— TheDynastyBAMA (@TheDynastyBAMA) June 6, 2025

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