Why Nick Saban is the Right Choice

Monday, December 27, 2004
Robert Henderson
MDBW Staff Writer

This season was bound to be a disaster after the Dolphins beat the New York Jets 23-21 at the end of last season and Wayne Huizenga signed Head Coach Dave Wannstedt to a 2-year contract extension after missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season. There was much speculation as to whether or rather even when Wannstedt would be fired after the Broncos surprisingly beat the Colts in Indianapolis in Week 16 to clinch that final playoff spot – knocking the Dolphins out of contention. The media and fans were talking about who the Dolphins next coach would be and what changes had to be made to improve this football team.

Surprisingly, Wannstedt kept his job and only lost his say in personnel decisions. Everyone knows what happened after this during the off-season. The Wannstedt contract extension was only the first domino to fall. Then, the likes of Ron Wolff and Randy Mueller were interviewed for the General Manager position only to see Huizenga hire in-house man Rick Spielman, and cover up the move by hiring legendary Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino as Vice President of Football Operations (whatever that is?). Marino promptly “retired” from the newly created position three weeks later realizing his hiring was mainly intended to make fans happy and that he was in fact being used to be a figurehead.

After some questionable moves to obtain a new quarterback only to retain the previous one, and trade a fourth round pick only to move up one spot in the first round to draft a future-bust offensive lineman, the season was well on it’s way into the cellar. Ricky Williams then suddenly retired before training camp. As the most recent and biggest domino to fall, Williams had to endure most of the blame once the Dolphins started 0-6 even though there were many more events leading up to this disaster of a season.

Dave Wannstedt resigned as the team’s Head Coach after losing to the Arizona Cardinals and starting the season 1-8 to take the focus off of his questionable future and put the focus back on the Miami Dolphins. Dan LeBatard of the Miami Herald put it best in his Headline the day after stating simply, “The End of an Error.” The Error started back when Wayne Huizenga forced Don Shula into retirement and hired Jimmy Johnson as the Head Coach in 1996. Johnson built a great defense, but tore apart a great passing attack and a great quarterback. Wannstedt continued in Johnson’s footsteps after Johnson quit following a 62-7 debacle in the playoffs against Jacksonville. So, LeBatard was right in saying that this “error” had ended when Wannstedt resigned after Week 9.

Defensive Coordinator, Jim Bates stepped in as Interim Head Coach and has posted a 3-3 record with the Dolphins since Wannstedt resigned. He quickly gained the respect of the offense, and practices have been conducted in a more disciplined and business-like manner. Since Bates has taken over, there seem to be less penalties committed and the turnover ratio has been +5 in the last two games. Randy McMichael said of Bates after the Dolphins win over New England, “People say we're a different team under him, and it's true. I will play for that man anywhere, any day of the week.”

This team is now 4-11, but is and has been playing like it is a contender. Jim Bates has put fire back into this football team and the players respect him and want to win for him. There is a significant sign of improvement in play and in discipline since he took over.

Because of these reasons, many people have wanted Bates to take over the Head Coaching job on a permanent, not interim basis. Some people even expected Huizenga to make the offer to Bates after the win over the defending Super Bowl Champions. However, as the majority expected, the offer was made to Nick Saban who accepted the job two days ago.

Wayne Huizenga made the right decision in offering the job to Saban even though Bates has proven he can win with this team and has earned respect from his players. Nick Saban has been successful in both of his college stints at Michigan State and LSU. Last year, he capped off his success by winning the National Championship – perhaps the reason he has taken on the next milestone, the NFL and the Super Bowl.

There have been many college coaches that have been very successful in college but have failed miserably in the NFL – most recently Steve Spurrier and Butch Davis. However, Saban is familiar with the NFL unlike both these coaches were. He was a defensive coordinator in the NFL before his successful tenures at the aforementioned colleges. Saban understands the salary cap, the different pace and feel, free agency, and all the differences that separate being a college Head Coach from being an NFL Head Coach. Don Shula said, “He has the experience of the NFL as well as the experience of being a Head Coach.” He is bound to succeed as a Head Coach in the NFL now.

However, his glittery resumé is not the main reason Coach Saban was the right choice and Coach Bates would not have been. Jim Bates, no matter how different, how much more endearing and tempting he is than Dave Wannstedt, he is still apart of the era of “error.” The Dolphins cannot continue hiring in-house people when year after year it has failed. Wannstedt was the assistant Head Coach under Johnson, he didn’t work, Spielman didn’t work, and I am sorry to say Bates won’t work. He will not because this team needs a complete makeover and they will not get that from someone who has been apart of this embarrassment for the last five seasons.

Nick Saban will become Head Coach on January 2nd, after LSU’s Bowl Game, and he will reshape this franchise. He will make moves Jim Bates would likely not make that need to be made. This team will have a completely different coaching staff, and a completely different plethora of players. That is the only way to expect any success in the future. The ten-year errors of in-house shifts have finally come to an end and the Miami Dolphins have hope.