Every year it happens. And every year the response remains the same.
Since Nick Saban became LSU’s head coach in 2000, rumors have popped up every season about possible head coaching positions becoming available in the NFL and Saban’s desire to fill them. And this year is no different.
With Internet rumors popping up on chat boards across the Web about the Chicago Bears’ troubles and the job security of their coach Dick Juaron, Saban’s name has been mentioned as a likely replacement if Juaron were fired.
When Bears general manager Jerry Angelo visited LSU’s practice last Thursday, fuel was added to the fire.
But during his weekly press luncheon, Saban said NFL executives visit practice on a regular basis for scouting purposes. He said no conversation was held with Angelo about anything but players.
“The guy is doing his job,” Saban said. “He’s always been a personal guy, he’s always come to watch us practice every year since I’ve been here and every year that I was at Michigan State, not because it has anything to do with me or us, but because he’s looking at football players.”
Saban said Angelo being at practice is an advantage for the players.
“I think it would be unfair to our players if I didn’t allow every team to come in,” Saban said. “Most teams come when they’re playing the Saints [which the Bears did]. Especially if they’re bringing any administrators to watch the players. The personal director from Tampa Bay was there and the personal director from the Seahawks was there the same day.”
Saban said the media should not assume anything but what he tells it.
“I didn’t have any discussion about anything but our players,” Saban said. “It would be wrong to make an assumption that it was about anything else. Because there isn’t anything else to talk about. I’m happy to be the coach here and we have the challenges of our season and I’m totally committed to the focus of the players on our team to try to have the best team we can.”
Saban said he wishes the media would just drop the subject of the NFL.
“I wish you guys would get off of it,” Saban said. “Because it’s not right. It’s not fair to me. It’s really not fair to me. Because somebody puts it on the Internet in Chicago, what am I supposed to do? I’m telling you that it’s not worth it.”
Saban also talked about his team’s performance in Saturday’s 19-7 loss to Florida in Tiger Stadium. Saban said a team must define its identity, and three factors go into that definition. They are immediacy, intensity and intelligence, none of which his team played with Saturday.
“That’s really what we take pride in in terms of how we want to compete in the game,” Saban said. “I don’t think that we played with any of those things and if we want to be a dominant-type team, I think it’s very important that we get back to playing that way.”
The road does not get any easier, Saban said, with a trip to Columbia, S.C., on the horizon this weekend. LSU faces South Carolina (4-2) Saturday at 6:45 on ESPN2.
“South Carolina is, I think, a very good football team,” Saban said. “They have one of the best defensive teams in the SEC. They have some weapons on offense.”
On the injury front, running back Shyrone Carey remains questionable for the South Carolina game, while safety Jack Hunt practiced yesterday and will likely play Saturday.
Running back Joseph Addai, who sprained his medial collateral ligament against Florida, was ruled out for the trip to Columbia by Saban.