Daily briefing: On Nick Saban and his 2015 staff, Dan Mullen and underdog Wake Forest
Ivan Maisel’s “Daily Briefing” for On3:
Nick Saban’s all-star staff of 2015
All you ever hear about Nick Saban’s assistants is that he beats them. But someone sharper than I am realized that the top four teams in the first College Football Playoff rankings are coached by Saban and three of his assistants from the 2015 Alabama national championship team: Kirby Smart of Georgia, Mel Tucker of Michigan State and Mario Cristobal of Oregon. In that sense, that Crimson Tide staff brings to mind Hayden Fry’s Iowa staff in the 1980s (Barry Alvarez, Bill Snyder and Bob Stoops are in the College Football Hall of Fame, and Kirk Ferentz will be). Impossible to say Smart, Tucker and Cristobal will reach those heights, but it’s a start.
Has Dan Mullen banked no credit?
Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t understand the furor over Florida coach Dan Mullen. The Gators are 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the SEC. They’re having a disappointing season. Hasn’t Mullen deposited any credibility in the bank? Do his previous 12 seasons and 102 wins count for nothing? Mullen is abrasive and he has been waaaay too defensive when criticized, but he had those traits when he led Florida to the SEC East title a year ago. Maybe that means he hasn’t cultivated the support he needs now. But Mullen didn’t suddenly get dumb. He’s having a bad season in a year that is not normal. That’s all this should mean.
Why is Wake Forest an underdog vs. UNC?
Can anyone explain why Wake Forest would be an underdog at North Carolina? I know that bookmakers simply try to judge the midpoint in sentiment between teams so that an equal amount of money is bet on each, and that the general fan knows who the Tar Heels are and couldn’t tell you the name of the Demon Deacons’ coach if you spelled out C-L-A-W-S-O-N. But really? Wake has one of the most explosive offenses in the FBS, and Carolina hasn’t played good defense yet this season. The Tar Heels are 93rd in rush defense (175.6), 90th in yards per play defense (5.85) and 99th in scoring defense (30.8). Even in Kenan Stadium, I don’t think the Tar Heels can hold down the Deacons long enough to make a game of it.