Former Bryant Assistant Calls Saban Arrogant

Published on 4-Dec-2013 by Stacey Mickles

Football - NCAA    NCAA Football Daily Update

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Former Bryant Assistant Calls Saban Arrogant

It's been four days since Alabama lost to Auburn in the Iron Bowl, and the bashing of Nick Saban and his program continues.

The latest salvo came from former Bear Bryant assistant Howard Schnellenberger, who has been the head coach at one time or another for Miami, Louisville, Oklahoma and Florida Atlantic.

Schnellenberger let Saban have it on the radio the other day.

"He's been Mr Perfect. He's been Mr Arrogant," Schnellenberger said in an interview with WDRB. "There's no reason for that. Every coach all the way down to Little League knows that you cover that field goal."

Now, I don't know if Schnellenberger is calling Saban outright arrogant or just for how he was set for that play. Either way, Schnellenberger sounded just a little bit bitter.

Maybe it's because if Saban keeps on winning championships, Schnellenberger might be thinking the legendary Bear will no longer be considered the greatest coach in Alabama history. Who knows? Lord knows, Bryant may be part of eternity now, but there's no doubt he'd still like nothing better than to look down from the heavens and see the Tide finish on top as often as possible. If that means he'd share the dias of Bama history with the coach who made that happen, he'd do so with pleasure.

Schnellenberger should know about legacies being joined by successors. He's the coach who put Miami football back on the national stage after a long absence, but it was Jimmy Johnson who turned the Hurricanes into a dynasty. Maybe that's why he's a bit touchy. 

Here's the irony to his comments: Schnellenberger said was he still thought that, despite the loss, Alabama was still the best team in the country. The Tide just made what he said was "a stupid play."

Don't tell that to Auburn.