The Only Game Where Nick Saban 'Significantly' Changed His Preparation Blueprint

The former Alabama head coach typically "never wanted to change things" when making a game plan, but there was one matchup that altered his mindset.

Jan 9, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban reacts on the sideline against the LSU Tigers during the first half of the 2012 BCS National Championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

The 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship kicks off tonight, and despite being retired for two years, Nick Saban plays a part in this game.

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti coached Alabama's wide receivers under Saban from 2007-11 and Miami head coach Mario Cristobal mentored the Crimson Tide's offensive line from 2013-16. Saban has a very extensive coaching tree, as over a dozen former assistants are currently head coaches.

During his 17-year and six-National Championship tenure at Alabama, he faced numerous former assistants, but did his weekly preparation for them, as the two parties knew each other well, change much compared to a non-former assistant's team?

"Well, when I went into it, I never wanted to change things that much for our players," Saban said The Pat McAfee Show on Monday. "You know, thinking that they know what we're going to do, well, we know what they're going to do too. So, it kind of evens out.

"But it still comes down to your players being [able to] execute what they do, and the other guy doesn't know when you're going to do [it], what you're going to do, even if he knows what you might be going to do (the panel laughs)."

Saban's preparation blueprint for any and all games, regardless of whether or not he was facing a former assistant, stayed the course for the most part from the moment he was hired until the day he retired. But there was one game that broke the rule.

"The only time I really changed significantly was when LSU beat us in 2011 and we played them in the National Championship game for a second time," Saban said. "I thought we had to change, but we had a lot of time to do it. In those days, you're playing one game for the National Championship, so we had a whole month to do it.

"But that's the only time I ever really changed a lot, whether it was special teams, how we're going to do punt returns, all those things change so that they couldn't take advantage of what they knew about us."

No. 2 Alabama fell to No. 1 LSU 9-6 in the "Game of the Century" on Nov. 5, 2011, in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide was 8-0 coming into the historic matchup.

Alabama proceeded to win its final three games of the regular season after falling to LSU, and it was selected to play the Tigers once again, this time being in the BCS National Championship.

Saban's significant changes in preparation were worth it, as Alabama dominated LSU 21-0 to secure its second National Championship title in the last three seasons. Crimson Tide quarterback A.J. McCarron was named the game's offensive MVP, while linebacker Courtney Upshaw the most valuable defensive player.

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