This article is from the Miami Herald that clearly describes from Nick Saban's perspective of his recent actions with the Dolphins. A must read to see how difficult a situation he was in to make this change.
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Saban: 'I wasn't trying to deceive anybody'
By JEFF DARLINGTON
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The door was closed. Alabama coach Nick Saban sat in a leather seat in the corner of his new office, the one that overlooked his new campus in his new state at his new job.
On the outside of that room, people were giddy because Saban had just inspired them with a passionate news conference, where he described his plan to get Alabama's program back on track.
On the inside, it was time for Saban to address the past. The one that included weeks of misleading comments, a sudden departure from the NFL, and a lack of communication about his plans with fans, players and coaches.
Perhaps the most pressing question? Why did he lie?
''When you lie to somebody, you're trying to deceive them,'' Sabansaid. 'I wasn't trying to deceive anybody. I was focused on the season, and I was working. I don't want this to be a distraction to the team, so I say, `No.' ''
In reality, Saban said, he wasn't interested in the job at that time. He was focused on the season. Although he had begun to realize his passion was not in the NFL -- it was in college football -- he was not thinking about leaving.
Saban said he never spoke to Athletic Director Mal Moore until after the season, and he actually became upset with his agent, Jimmy Sexton, for asking about the opportunity in the middle of a season, he said.
''[Sexton] knows that I will not talk about any bull [expletive] during the season,'' Saban said.
Saban said he isn't upset or angry about the negative perception of him -- but he is disappointed about the way it all played out because he believes he wasn't trying to be malicious. Instead, he said, the timeline of events that led to his decision were not correctly perceived.
''I'm disappointed that I'm being victimized a little bit here,'' Saban said. ``That's really not the person I am. If you look at 35 years of work that I've done in this profession and my marriage and everything else, that's not who I am. That's not what I've done. I've never been a guy to lie, cheat and steal anywhere. Never. Ever. But now all of a sudden, I am.''
Ultimately, Saban's decision came down to his passion for college football, as well as his family's happiness. Saban said his family wasn't necessarily unhappy in South Florida -- but the camaraderie of a college town differs from anything in the NFL.
''You know, I have factors in my life, too,'' Saban said. ``I've got a family, I've got a wife and people that need to be happy. All those things get taken into consideration when you make career decisions.''
Then the Indianapolis game ended. Sexton told him he might want to really listen if he ever wanted to get back into college football again. After a sleepless night Tuesday, Saban decided he would take the offer Wednesday morning.
``I didn't sleep all night, nor did Terry. I talked to [owner] Wayne [Huizenga] early in the morning about it again, which was another confusing moment. Then when he came over to the house is kind of when [I decided].''
Saban said he didn't tell his assistant coaches in person because Huizenga thought it would be best if he didn't return to the team's Davie facility. Instead, he was forced to tell them via speakerphone.
``The players were all gone . . . I called eight, 10 guys and probably got ahold of six or eight of them. I left messages for other guys. I e-mailed every guy on the team. Some of the guys, a few guys called back. I don't like that either, but . . .''
Saban left the Dolphins prematurely. He admitted that much Thursday. But his reason for leaving wasn't influenced by the team's disappointing season or a seemingly long road ahead for success. Instead, he said, his departure was made more difficult for those reasons.
Asked if he would have left the team if they were playoff contenders, Saban said he would have.
''I don't think it was about that,'' Saban said. ``In fact, it was harder to do because we didn't have success this year. I think if we were 9-7 this year like we were last year, I think if we got in the playoffs, it would have been easier to say, `Ok.'
``I think we made progress. I just think it didn't show up in the win column for this year. Getting off to a bad start was all over the quarterback thing. We should have won a couple more games in the beginning. If we won a couple more games in the beginning, we probably would have been in a better position to win a game or two more in the end.''
Saban couldn't pinpoint the reason for his inability to succeed in his two seasons of the NFL. But he said miscommunication between the coaching staff and the personnel departments could have been a part of it.
I don't know how to say this, because I don't want to throw anybody under the bus,'' Saban said. ``But the personnel people in the building, that's how you gain an advantage. When you look at the teams that have really good personnel people in the building, that are doing what the coaches want them to do, finding the kind of players the coaches want them to find.
When that doesn't happen, Saban said, you wind up doing double the work.
'They say, `OK, here are the three best guys.' These are the three best guys? None of these guys fit our criteria for what we're looking for,'' Saban said. 'Then you go look at the list, and you say, `Oh here's three guys that have what we want.' So you're never on the same [page]. And you've got to be. You've got to be. You've got to be.''
Although South Florida fans likely will disagree, especially after a 6-10 season, Saban said he believes he left the organization much better than it was when he joined the team. After two years of dealing with salary cap issues, Saban believes he finally got the team into better shape.
He expects the team to enter free agency with about $12 million to $15 million under the cap.
''In my opinion, it's taken two years of manipulation of contracts, getting rid of guys that were making too much money, getting it off the books for the future, all the bull you've got to go through to get the salary cap down,'' Saban said. ``We've never had a cent.''
Saban said the team's offensive line situation is improving. He specifically praised tackle Anthony Alabi as a rising star, also saying the team has ``three or four decent offensive linemen.''
The coach has hope for the quarterback position as well, and he believes the team's future starter is somewhere on the roster. And if running back Ricky Williams returns, it would also help the team, Saban said.
''There's still hope at quarterback if Daunte [Culpepper] can get healthy,'' Saban said. ``And I do think between those three guys, Cleo [Lemon] proved that he might be able to play too. And you know, God knows about No. 34 [Ricky Williams], but if he comes back, you win three or four more games if the guy is playing, I'm telling you. He's got a presence.''
So is Saban glad he took a shot at the NFL?
''I think it was always my goal to do it,'' Saban said. ``So I was going to have to do it at some point in time. Then you learn about yourself.''
Toward the end of a 40-minute interview in his new office, Saban was asked if he will miss the NFL. He sat in his chair, contemplating. He paused.
''I never know about things like that,'' he said. ``But obviously, if I look back some day and say I miss the NFL, then I surely screwed up.''
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