Saturday we all will clear our schedules for LSU-Alabama, which promises to be the biggest game of the season. It actually feels like the biggest game in many years.
This match-up will feature a number of players who will be playing on Sundays in the National Football League once they’re done with college. Phil Savage, an analyst on the Crimson Tide’s radio broadcast team, knows the ins and outs of NFL player personnel. Phil is the former general manager of the Cleveland Browns and is currently a player personnel executive for the Philadelphia Eagles.
He took the time out of a very busy week to answer “Five Burning Questions.”
1) Will this be the biggest game you have worked in your broadcast career?
Since this is only my third season with the Crimson Tide Sports Network, this matchup is certainly the biggest regular season game we’ve had. The 2010 SEC Championship game against Florida and the BCS National Title Game in Pasadena versus Texas were both exciting wins for the Tide. During my NFL career, when the Baltimore Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV, that was the thrill of a lifetime.
2) Put on the old General Manager hat. What type of NFL talent will be on display Saturday night?
Both LSU and Alabama have NFL-caliber players on their respective teams. The depth of the Crimson Tide is remarkable when you consider that when they are eligible for the draft, almost every player in the their top 22 will be evaluated for the pros. And, probably 15 or so of their offensive players will have a shot at the NFL in the future. Nick Saban and his staff do an amazing job at evaluating and then developing high school talent.
In 2007, ‘Bama had no players picked in seven rounds of the NFL draft. In the last three years, they lead the nation with 7 total first rounders. I won’t venture a guess as to which players will be first rounders in 2012, but there will be a number on display Saturday night.
3) Two great coaching staffs, two great teams. What gives Saturday night?
This game has been decided by big plays and turnovers in the past three meetings, and I would expect it to play out the same way this year.
Whichever team can run the football and stop the run will set the tempo of the game from a physical standpoint, and that usually allows them to do more offensively in terms of play-action passes and shots downfield. Both teams are so evenly matched, a play in the kicking game could also play a major role.
4) What is the major differences of coaching in the NFL versus College? Saban has been there. In your opinion, could Les Miles be an NFL head coach?
The biggest difference between college and pro coaching is that the head coach in college is the CEO/president and GM of his program. In the NFL, the head coach is usually a part of the overall organization in concert with other people in the ownership, president and GM roles.
A college coach has much more control over personnel and is the final decision-maker. In the NFL, if the organization is led by a GM or owner, then that person is usually the one with final authority. Also, in college, there is no limit on how many blue-chip prospects you can recruit, while in the NFL a team generally gets one pick out of every 32 selections in the draft. Nick Saban is a great coach and, in the right situation with the right people, he could win in the NFL.
Remember, he was a very successful defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator in his earlier career, so he has a keen understanding of how the pro game works. Coach Miles also has some experience in the NFL as an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys, so if he decided to try and make that jump, he would know exactly what to expect. Again, in most cases, any college coach is only going to be as strong as the organization around him initially, at least until he has time to put his imprint on the club, and that takes time, which is not in abundance.
5) Alabama wins Saturday if… ?
Alabama will beat LSU if they can run the ball, stop the run, take care of the football and make a big scoring play offensively or on special teams. This will be the most PHYSICAL game in college football this year. I think both teams will come out tight before settling in and trying to impose their will on the other. I’m looking for a score in the high teens to low 20s…about where it’s been the last two years.
Follow Regie on Twitter @CFBROCKER.
