Quin Snyder changed the way he coaches the Utah Jazz because of Nick Saban

Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder has learned some things from legendary Alabama football head coach Nick Saban. Snyder has been the head coach of the Jazz since the 2014-2015 season, and he has led the team to five consecutive playoff appearances. But one of Snyder’s most important values as a coach is the fourth and one idea, something that he took from Saban and Alabama.

The fourth and one approach is simply coming into each day as if your back is on the wall. This approach helps the team be prepared for adversity by forcing them to face it every day. The approach has clearly worked pretty well for Saban and Snyder, as both have seen great success.

Holly Rowe is working as an analyst for the Jazz this season, and she talked about Snyder’s coaching approach this week on The Nick Saban Show.

“I had an interesting experience this week,” Rowe said. “I am working as an analyst in the NBA for the Utah Jazz. It’s a new role for me. I’m learning a lot, I’m super nervous, so I go in and I have this whiteboard session with coach Quinn Snyder. He’s this really good coach in the NBA, they had the best record in the NBA last year the Utah Jazz.

“And he’s got written up on the board, ‘fourth and one.’ And he starts talking about how Nick Saban has changed how he’s coaching his team this year because they’re gonna coach in September and October and November with the sense of urgency that every day is fourth and one. So when they get to game seven of a playoff series in the NBA, they will be ready because they’ve been living like it’s fourth and one every day.”

Snyder has seen success with the Jazz

Snyder played college basketball at Duke from 1985 to 1989. In the 1992-1993 season, Snyder became an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers. Then, he returned to Duke from 1993 to 1999, serving as an administrative assistant and eventually associate head coach.

In 1999, Snyder became the head coach at Missouri. He was there until 2006 before departing. Snyder spent the next three years with the NBA D-League’s Austin Toros before becoming a player development coach with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2010. He then spent a year as an assistant with the Lakers, Hawks, and even in the Russian Professional Basketball League.

Snyder became the head coach of the Jazz in June of 2014. In Utah, Snyder has coached to a 330-232 record. After missing the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, the Jazz have made the playoffs five consecutive seasons. The Jazz were the NBA’s best regular season team last year under Snyder.

Through eight games this season, the Jazz are off to an incredibly hot start with a 7-1 record.