Click here for linkBy Robbie Andreu
Staff writer
Published: Monday, September 26, 2011 at 12:56 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, September 26, 2011 at 12:56 p.m.
In the considerable buildup to Saturday's SEC showdown between No. 3 Alabama and No. 12 Florida, there will be one popular and obvious story line that will be told and retold this week.
Will Muschamp vs. Nick Saban.
Student vs. teacher.
Protege vs. mentor.
“I've got great respect for Nick and the job he does,” Muschamp said. “I probably wouldn't be standing here today if it wasn't for the opportunity he gave me at LSU to be a position coach and naming me (defensive) coordinator (a year later).
“You turn on the film and see a physically tough (Alabama) football team that plays with fundamentals. That is what he is and what he preaches every day. It's who they are and what they are.”
“Will has done a really, really good job,” Saban said. “He's a great coach because he's a good teacher. He has a lot of energy and he gets along well with the players. He believes in discipline, hard work and things that are important to being successful.
Saban's LSU team was preparing for the Peach Bowl and Muschamp was invited to a practice in the Georgia Dome by friend and LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, who is now the head coach at Florida State.
Fisher introduced Muschamp to Saban.
“A month-and-a-half later, they had an opening and Jimbo and (fellow LSU assistant) Pete Jenkins brought up my name to Nick as a possibility. I sort of fit the description of who he wanted to hire. I went and interviewed and he offered me the job.”
When Saban took the Dolphins job after the 2004 season, he took Muschamp with him to the NFL, where he was the Dolphins' assistant head coach for defense in 2005.
A year later, Saban passed over Muschamp and hired Dom Capers to be his defensive coordinator in Miami. Saban said this summer he regretted not promoting Muschamp to the position.
Shorty after Capers was hired, Muschamp returned to the college game, becoming the defensive coordinator at Auburn.
When Muschamp was asked if he and Saban ever clashed, Muschamp said. “We're both intense guys.”
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