In coaching, no one obsessively sweats the small stuff like Nick Saban. Seven national championships. A 292-71-1 career record. Each of those wins, Saban insists, comes from mastering details most coaches wouldn’t even notice. But sometimes, that very obsession can push even seasoned assistants to their limits. Former Alabama assistant Tyler Siskey recalled one extreme example on the McCready & Siskey Podcast.

“The attention to detail that took place in that meeting was insane. I don’t remember if we were playing Virginia Tech or West Virginia. We’re playing one of those teams in the Georgia Dome in that preseason game, and we’re sitting there, and we’re going through, again, a lot of pre-staff meetings.” Tyler Siskey said, “We had a 30 minute discussion in that first staff meeting about if we wanted to kick or receive we had a 30 minute discussion.”

The point wasn’t the kick or receive itself—it was Saban drilling his staff to prepare for every conceivable detail. Even during COVID-19 in 2020, when Saban himself fell ill, he monitored practices via Zoom, tracking everything his team did like a hawk. And it wasn’t just Siskey who felt the weight of Saban’s scrutiny. In 2016, Lane Kiffin, then Alabama’s offensive coordinator, drew Saban’s ire for focusing on the offense rather than the team as a whole during a good-on-good drill. Saban’s reaction was immediate and explosive.

Others have shared similar experiences. Miami head coach Mario Cristobal, who arrived at Alabama in 2013, was stunned by Saban’s meticulous pregame prep. “Every detail in those meetings is covered,” Cristobal said. “Where the sun rises and sets, how it affects the returners, what the referees are prone to call… all of it.” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning got a taste early in his career, too. While running drills at a youth camp, he quickly learned that Saban’s eye for detail spares no one, not even sixth- and seventh-graders.”For me to get my best b–t-chewing during kids camp, I think that just shows the intensity of Nick.”

Saban’s obsession extends beyond the field. Saban and his team used to look into every small detail of the potential players. They used to look at their physical abilities, study habits, and personal qualities, contacting friends, family, teachers, and coaches for insights. They even used to gather their personal interests; that’s exactly how Saban discovered that recruit Barrett Jones, a guard, played the violin.

These details are the reason why his name is still at the top of the coaching carousel.

LSU’s growing interest in Nick Saban

The LSU Tigers have been desperately looking for their new leader, and despite shutting down any links to them, Nick Saban’s name keeps popping up in the odds. There are still rumors suggesting that he might return to coaching at LSU, the same program that won a national championship under him in 2003 and led five seasons with a 48-16 record. Oddsmakers currently list Saban as the second favorite, and some even as the outright favorite.

But LSU is also eyeing Lane Kiffin right now and is in conversation with him, offering a $90 million deal and a $25 million add-on to roster development. Despite that and Saban’s constant denial, the speculations seem to never end. Look, LSU’s interest makes sense, knowing Saban’s history of building a program into a powerhouse. As he’s 201-29 over 17 years with an 87.39% win rate at Alabama. Then, during his time in Alabama, he helped 44 players get selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Now, let’s wait and see who ends up taking the reins at the LSU Tigers.