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Nick Saban found his greatest success at Alabama football and LSU football, he wasn’t unfamiliar with cold weather during his coaching career. Before claiming national titles in the warm climate of the SEC, Saban had to endure the frigid temperatures while coaching the Michigan State football. On Wednesday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show, Saban shared a rule he enforced for his players when they faced cold weather.
Nick Saban's cold weather rules
“I do think the weather does impact the game, the ball is harder to throw, the ball is harder to catch, it’s harder to hold onto. I had a rule all the time that my guys hated. If you are a ball handler or a ball carrier you couldn’t wear sleeves, because I always thought that sleeves made it slicker when you put three pressure points on the ball, the ball would slide out easier and you’d be more susceptible to turnovers,” said Nick Saban.
Saban's rule may have made his players uncomfortable in the freezing cold, but by emphasizing ball security, he ensured that Alabama avoided unnecessary turnovers.
This highlights Saban's thorough approach to coaching, always ensuring that every aspect was considered to provide his team with an advantage.
The head coach's mindset led to multiple national championships, numerous conference titles, dozens of NFL Draft picks, and earned his team the distinction of being the top football program in the nation.
As the college football season reaches its peak and the temperatures drop, the stakes of the games rise. This season, weather will play an even bigger role, as, for the first time, College Football Playoff games will be held on campus.
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What it means for SEC teams
“So it does have a huge impact and the other thing is these young guys who play in the South Eastern Conference now, very few of them have ever played in cold weather. At least in the NFL when I was with the Dolphins and we had to go play in Buffalo and New England, and the New York Jets in December or January the players at least got exposed to that at some point and you had players on your team from all over the country, so some of them were used to it. Well these guys in the South Eastern Conference are probably not going to be used to that and it could have a huge impact on the game,” Saban continued.
A possible first-round matchup could see teams like Ohio State, Penn State, and Notre Dame hosting opponents, with the harsh Midwest winter weather potentially influencing the outcome.
Depending on how things unfold, a team like Georgia or Tennessee could face Ohio State or Penn State in the first round.
The cold weather will mainly affect the first-round game, as the Quarterfinals will be held at neutral sites like the Fiesta, Rose, Peach, or Sugar Bowl, which are either indoors or in warmer climates.
Much is still uncertain, depending on the outcomes of this weekend’s games and the conference championships. It’s not just SEC teams that will be affected, but also ACC teams like Miami, SMU, and Clemson.
Alabama football missing Saban's leadership
Now working as an analyst, Saban’s absence has been felt this season, as Alabama football has already lost three games—something they only did twice during his 17 years as head coach.
We’ll have to wait and see how Alabama concludes the season, but if they aim to protect the ball in colder conditions, they should take a page from their former head coach’s playbook.
