Coach Nick Saban's good gamble

NEW ORLEANS -- The first meeting between Alabama and LSU did not present any difficult fourth-down decisions for coaches Nick Saban and Les Miles, but will tonight be different?

In the BCS title game two years ago between Alabama and Texas, Saban gambled early and failed when the Longhorns intercepted a fourth-and-23 pass from punter P.J. Fitzgerald from the Crimson Tide's 20-yard line. Saban said Sunday that was a "bad deal all the way around," but his most memorable risk may have been in 2001, when he was at LSU and faced Tennessee in the SEC championship.

Phillip Fulmer's second-ranked Volunteers had scored two quick touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 14-7 lead, and a third-and-1 carry by Tigers tailback Domanick Davis was stuffed for no gain at the LSU 22.

"They had [Albert] Haynesworth and some big guys playing in the middle," Saban said, "so I said we're going to go for it on fourth and an inch. We got stuffed, but we sacked them and they kicked a field goal to go ahead 17-7.

"For the next five minutes I was in la-la land. 'Why did you do that? That's the dumbest thing you've ever done.' My wife even told me that was the dumbest call she had seen me make since I had been a head coach."

Rohan Davey, who was stopped on the quarterback keeper, got hurt and was replaced by Matt Mauck, who rallied the Tigers to a 31-20 upset. The victory knocked the Vols out of a trip to the Rose Bowl, which housed that season's BCS championship, and catapulted the Tigers to the Sugar Bowl, where they thumped Illinois.

"We were walking off the field after the [SEC] game," Saban said, "and the seniors came up and said, 'You know, Coach, the most important thing you did in the game was when you went for it on fourth down.' I said, 'Really?' And they said, 'Yeah, because when you did that, we really thought we could win. You were being aggressive and you were trying to win.'

"So sometimes the dumbest things you do, you never know how people are going to respond to them."

Keeping his focus

Miles was asked Sunday how he wanted his players to handle the final 32 hours leading up to kickoff, and he said he wanted them relaxed physically but focused mentally. He also was asked about whether next year's team could be in this same position, but he decided that should not be addressed until after tonight's game.

Minutes later, Miles was asked at what point would he entertain thoughts about an NFL job.

"I've gotten a 32-hour question, a year question and now this," Miles said as he rolled his eyes. "I promise you, I'm going to go to this game and fight like heck for a victory."

Accepting orders

Saban has a reputation for being a "control freak" when it comes to his program, but he repeatedly says that wife Terry runs their relationship. Sunday was no exception.

"We get up at 6:15 every day and watch the Weather Channel for about 30 minutes before we start our day," he said. "I get most of my marching orders in that 30-minute segment in terms of what we should do, how I should do it, why it's important to do it that way or what I need to talk to the team about. I mean, I get coached up very well in that 30-minute segment of the Weather Channel."

A dominating dad

If touted recruits are interested in Alabama, Saban wants to know if they are competitors. Apparently it has been the same way for those brave enough to ask out his daughter.

"When Kristen first started dating and those boys came knocking on the door, I would go open the door," he said. "The first thing I would ask them is, 'What do you play? What do you play?' I wanted to know if the guy was a competitor. I wanted to know if he made a commitment, worked and did something that was sort of going to make him somebody that could overcome adversity and do the right things.

"Of course, none of them really ever answered me. They were so intimidated, so I never got much good information."