LSU football fans don’t like to think of the 1990s, or the pre-Nick Saban years. It’s like when Michael Jordan tried his hand at baseball — fans just like to place the memories in the bottom drawer of their mental filing cabinets.
The ’90s were the time of Curley Hallman and Gerry DiNardo, when the Tigers compiled a putrid 49-52 record, and the state was more of a floodgate than a backyard for recruits.
Top talents like Peyton Manning, Ed Reed, Reggie Wayne and Marshall Faulk shunned the Tigers and jetted to out-of-state schools.
Then Nick Saban arrived in 2000 and began keeping the top in-state recruits in state.
Saban won a national championship with home-state players like Michael Clayton, Marcus Spears, Devery Henderson, Chad Lavalais, Randall Gay and Corey Webster.
And current head coach Les Miles kept the trend alive when Saban broke the hearts of the
Tiger faithful and bolted for NFL millions in what he called a “new challenge.”
Miles, if anything, tightened the stranglehold Saban had on Louisiana. The “Mad Hatter” lassoed in-state talents like Chad Jones, Charles Scott, Jacob Cutrera, Chris Tolliver,
Keiland Williams, Ryan Perrilloux and Lyle Hitt and translated them into on-field success.
A national championship in 2007 helped heal the wound from Saban.
Saban then proceeded to lodge a knife into the backs and hearts of LSU fans by accepting the head coaching position at Alabama in 2007. The battle was on — both on and off the field.
“No recruiting battles are going to be friendly,” said Scout.com recruiting analyst Sonny Shipp. “But when you have a head coach who was at a school and then he left, and then goes to not only a conference rival but a division rival, there’s going to be even more animosity amongst the fan base.”
Saban reaffirmed his status as a recruiting aficionado after giving Alabama the top recruiting class in the country in his first campaign, according to Scout.com. LSU wasn’t far behind at No. 7.
The two have waged an epic war on the recruiting trail during the last two years. Saban and the Crimson Tide have logged the first and second-ranked classes in that period, with LSU posting No. 7 and No. 3 ratings, respectively, according to Scout.
Saban’s former Louisiana contacts have not won the former coach any significant results in the state — yet. His biggest victory came in snatching wide receiver Kenny Bell from Miles’ clutches on Signing Day in February 2009.
Miles usually wins any in-state battle with Saban. Saban’s other Louisiana recruits, such as Tide defensive end Luther Davis and defensive back Robby Green, have been Miles’ rejects.
“When you look at it, there has been one player that Nick Saban has stolen from Louisiana and that would be Kenny Bell last year,” Shipp said. “People point to Luther Davis, but anyone who follows recruiting closely knows what happened with the Luther Davis saga and that if LSU would’ve wanted Luther Davis, they could’ve gotten him. Same thing with Robby Green. He’s starting at Alabama, but LSU didn’t covet him as highly as Alabama did.”
These results don’t mean easy victories for Miles and company. Many recruits’ decision have come down to the last minute — like current Tiger receiver Rueben Randle.
“There’s been guys they’ve been battling it out for,” Shipp said. “It’s been some close battles because a lot of these kids remember Nick Saban winning a national championship when he was at LSU. They might not like the fact that he left LSU after he said he wasn’t going anywhere, but you’ll find very few people that will say that Nick Saban was not a good coach.”
Tide freshman running back Trent Richardson became the source of drama on Signing Day when he used every nugget of time allotted to decide between the Tide and the Tigers.
Richardson, who has rushed for 377 yards and four touchdowns this season, ultimately stuck with Saban.
Richardson had originally committed to Alabama in June 2008.
“Even on Signing Day he was still debating the two and at one point — he was leaning towards signing LSU,” Shipp said. “But in the end he went with the school that he had
aligned himself for over half of the recruiting process.”
This trend does not appear to be ending anytime soon. LSU currently holds the No. 4 ranking in the Class of 2010 while Alabama is lurking at No. 5.
Shipp said the 2010 class will not feature any heated battles between Saban and Miles. But the 2011 class could provide some fireworks.
Shipp said this weekend’s game could have a significant impact in recruits’ minds.
“When you look at the 2011 kids — where Louisiana is going to be loaded as far as talent level goes — a win this weekend could really help LSU with some of those kids,” Shipp said.
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Contact Chris Branch at cbranch@lsureveille.com
Recruiting: Miles, Saban continue to battle for prospects from the South
Published: Thursday, November 5, 2009
Updated: Thursday, November 5, 2009
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