How Nick Saban’s coaching tree is leaving its mark across college football
The New York Times••sports
Key Points:
- Four current College Football Playoff semifinal coaches—Curt Cignetti (Indiana), Dan Lanning (Oregon), Pete Golding (Ole Miss), and Mario Cristobal (Miami)—are former assistants under Nick Saban, who they credit for shaping their coaching philosophies.
- Nick Saban’s coaching tree is extensive, with 31 former assistants becoming FBS head coaches, including prominent names like Kirby Smart and Lane Kiffin; 16% of current Power 4 coaches have worked under him.
- Despite the widespread influence, Saban’s proteges have a combined head coaching winning percentage of .505, indicating that success is not guaranteed simply by association with him.
- Successful coaches from Saban’s tree have developed their own distinct program
