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David Pollack explains why it’s an ‘enormous deal’ that Nick Saban won’t be on sidelines vs. Georgia
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Saturday night’s matchup between No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia just got a whole lot more difficult for the Crimson Tide.
That’s because coach Nick Saban tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and will not be able to coach from the sidelines.
So, how big of a deal is that for Alabama? ESPN analyst David Pollack appeared on Thursday morning’s episode of “Get Up” and explained why it’s a game-changer for the Crimson Tide (via 247Sports):
“(Nick) Saban is not a caretaker. He’s not just a guy that has his hands in everything. Everything runs through Nick,” Pollack said. “I talked to a coach at Alabama. One of the things that was surprising is the coin toss is directed by him. Which way they’re going to kick, warmups. Everything that goes on. Injured players. Everything goes through Nick Saban. This will definitely be different.
“I think just from a presence standpoint. How many times have we seen Nick chew guys out on the sidelines? Chew coaches out on the sidelines and bring energy and not take certain things and you’re always looking over like. … ‘Dad’s mad at me, I’ve got to make sure I step up my game.’ I think this is huge. There are some coaches where this wouldn’t be as big of a deal. This is an enormous deal for Alabama and the Crimson Tide.”
Obviously, OC Steve Sarkisian, who will serve as the team’s head coach in Saban’s absence, has experience as a head coach at Washington and USC.
But Saban is the GOAT for a reason, and his presence will be severely missed on Saturday night.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
