Nick Saban-CFP — Alabama coach Nick Saban on the field at the College Football Playoff game with Georgia. (Marc Lebryk / USA TODAY Sports)

Saban Makes Clear Symbiotic Relationship Among Hogs Coaches Not Present at Alabama

Deep line drawn in the sand between football, Nate Oats basketball program, unlike Pittman, Musselman, Van Horn, Deifel

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Mar 23, 2023 1:28 PM EDT
Original:
Mar 21, 2023

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama head coach Saban would like everyone to know that Alabama is not a basketball school.

When he climbed to the podium on Monday to declare Tony Mitchell "suspended from the team and all team activities until we gather more information," the head coach of the second most prominent team in college football drew a clear line between himself and Tide head basketball coach Nate Oats.

Typically, the relationship between the head football and basketball coaches tends to be cordial, at least publicly, unless you're at Kentucky.

It's a symbiotic relationship. If either is winning at a high level, it typically helps the other.

At Arkansas, it extends even to baseball and softball as Sam Pittman, Eric Musselman, Dave Van Horn and Courtney Deifel have perfectly modeled the scratch your back, you scratch mine method of joint recruiting.

However, over in Alabama, after years of carrying the Alabama basketball team by providing high profile games in a stadium overflowing with crazed fans, it should be Saban's turn to get a little benefit from the basketball program.

Instead, Saban is now fighting perception in the heads of mothers and fathers who are uncertain about sending their sons to Alabama after basketball player Brandon Miller delivered a murder weapon to the scene of the crime and didn't miss so much as a half.

It could be seen coming a mile away. The second any players, regardless of stardom, got involved with the police, especially if a gun was involved, Saban was going to draw a clear line in the sand between the football and basketball programs.

"Everybody's got an opportunity to make choices and decisions," Saban said. "There's no such thing in being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You've got to be responsible for who you're with, who you're around and what you do, who you associate yourself with and the situations that you put yourself in."

Those words were chosen carefully. Directed squarely at parents who have doubts about gun culture and criminal activity taking place at Alabama, they were a contrasting echo to the famous words by Nate Oats as he explained how Miller could bring someone a weapon used to kill a five-year-old's mother with no repercussions.

“We’ve known the situation since [it happened],” Oats said. “We’ve been fully cooperating with law enforcement the entire time. The whole situation is sad. The team closed practice with a prayer for the situation today, knowing that we had this trial today. We think of Jamea and her family, Kaine. Really think about her son, Kaine, that was left behind. So it’s sad.

“We knew about that. Can’t control everything anybody does outside of practice. Nobody knew that was going to happen. College kids are out, Brandon hasn’t been in any type of trouble nor is he in any type of trouble in this case. Wrong spot at the wrong time.”

Saban is a national recruiter, often dipping heavily into territory that would have belonged primarily to Arkansas, Texas, LSU and Oklahoma back in the day to build his dynasty.

He's wise enough to know that the perception outside of Alabama is that Miller was allowed to slide on his involvement in a murder because he is a star player who gives a program that has only advanced to the Elite 8 once its best chance at a national championship.

The police report indicates that Mitchell and friend Christopher Lewis were caught in possession of 8 ounces of marijuana with intent to distribute, $7,000 in cash and a loaded 9mm gun that neither passenger was willing to claim following a chase that topped out at 114 mph. It was then noted that the car was filled with the smell of burnt marijuana.

Had this simply been an issue of marijuana, this might have been a different issue.

Even Arkansas fans seem to have soften their stance on the drug, so it stands to reason that a fan base that has galvanized itself behind Miller's actions wouldn't have batted an eye.

However, the police chase and another incident with an Alabama player with a loaded gun in his car made it too much.

The University of Alabama is developing a reputation that not only affects recruiting, but potential student enrollment. There are parents who, even after all these years, won't let their children, especially daughters, attend Baylor after a cover-up of a murder involving the basketball team and a string of alleged rapes involving the football team.

Once a school gets labeled as one that will allow the worst of criminal activity to go on in the name of athletics, it's hard to shake.

While Oats was the unsure PR nightmare every time he stepped in front of the microphone on behalf of the university, Saban was the Tylenol to cure the Oats headache.

He was firm and decisive. He established a precedent for players who get caught up in possible criminal activity.

Will Razorback fans point out that Saban has the advantage of it being the offseason and the incident involving a young man who has yet to step on the field? Of course.

This isn't suspending the starting Tide's starting quarterback in mid-October with Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU setting up the next three opponents. Plus, Mitchell could still be available for opening day or quietly slipped in during South Florida week when the national scrutiny isn't as high.

He could easily be in place a few weeks later to make a game-winning interception of a KJ Jefferson pass in the closing seconds.

This is a safe place to be tough while the spotlight is shining brightest on the basketball team. It's the perfect opportunity to change the optics of what's going on at the university.

It guarantees the most possible coverage as NCAA writers and television crews look to fill space between weekends while future prospective students finalize where they're going to attend their freshman year.

And, most importantly to Saban, it settles down mom and dad during the most crucial stretch associated with landing recruits in December.

The last thing he wants is to follow Sam Pittman and Kirby Smart putting on a show of a wholesome family environment while he has to be peppered with questions about gun violence and laxed standards within the athletic program.

He now has action to back his words as questioning parents sit in his office trying to decide if they want to trust their son to him and the University of Alabama.

And that's why he drew such a deep line in the sand between his football program and the one Oats is about to usher into its 10th Sweet 16 appearance in school history.