Saturdays in Athens
by George Somerville
Week Zero
28th August 2021
Welcome to our weekly round up of life in the Southeastern Conference.
This week we arrive and stay firmly in the state of Alabama, where the news was dominated by the head coaches of the Cotton State’s biggest schools.
Yes, Saban and Harsin make the headlines for entirely different reasons…..
So this week’s Saturdays In Athens is all about ‘a Tale of Two Head Coaches’.
Here are this week’s headlines….
Let’s get started y’all!
Trouble On The Plains!
Auburn, AL.
The topic of Covid vaccination has become a divisive one which has split the nation straight down the middle. This week, Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin found himself smack bang in the middle of a vaccination row.
With no obvious ties to War Eagle or SEC football, the ex-Boise Coach seemed an outright gamble to take over from the much maligned Gus Malzahn. However, since his arrival, Harsin has done a good job winning over those fickle Auburn fans by convincing them that his new regime truly is a breath of fresh air.
That was until the topic of covid vaccinations raised its head – initially at SEC Media Days, and then on an uncomfortably regular basis.
Now let me be clear. As much as I believe everyone should have the vaccine to protect themselves but almost as importantly me, you and everyone else, It is also everyone’s choice to have the vaccine or not.
However. As a SEC head coach you have a fan base, a community, a player roster, a coaching staff, administrative staff and a University looking to you for guidance.
And in terms of leading by example and showing leadership, there is no greater example than advocating vaccination against the Covid-19 virus.
Take Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin for example.
The state of Mississippi has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the US at around c.35%. Yet Kiffin has had more success, more than any state politician, at getting people to take up the vaccination. Through a combination of public service announcements and his own action Kiffin has led from the front. Firstly Kiffin has never hidden the fact that he is vaccinated. And as a result of this and providing education to his team, he has managed to get the entire team – 100% – vaccinated. Which in itself is quite a feat.
With the SEC requiring teams to be 85% vaccinated ahead of the season, Bryan Harsin made comment during SEC Media days that the Tigers were behind this level at c.60% of players. However when pressed as to his own vaccine status, Harsin was reluctant to comment whether he had the vaccine or not. Harsin said,
“Like I said before, this is a personal decision. I’m not going to make a comment on my situation because I wouldn’t expect our players to be asked that or our staff to be asked that, and that’s something we started a long time ago”.
However things took a turn for the unexpected when Auburn issued a statement advising that their Head Football Coach had tested positive. The statement said,
“Yesterday I tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, I am isolating at home while experiencing no symptoms”.
Given Harsin’s reluctance to disclose his vaccination status, it is no surprise that this sparked criticism, condemnation but also support across the sport.
And with the level of noise around his positive test, Harsin defended his position to reporters via zoom. Harsin said,
“Let me be clear: I am not anti-vaccine, and any narrative along those lines is misinformed, I fully support the choice for anyone to vaccinate”.
The Tigers Head Coach went on,
“I understand it – it carries a lot of weight. And I care deeply that everybody in this program, on this staff, on this team, and people we come in contact with, that they’re safe. I care deeply that our players have the information that they need to make informed decisions that affect them, and I support them. I care that we have a chance to play in every single game and work hard to go win every single one of those games.”
Will this distract the Tigers as they prepare to play Akron in their first game? Unlikely, but I am certain this is not how Coach Harsin wanted to start his era at Auburn.
#WarDamnEagle
This Is Not A Democracy
Tuscaloosa, AL.
Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide go out of their way to avoid distraction at any time but particularly in the lead up to the season where distraction can severely disrupt the team’s focus.
So it was unusual for Coach Saban to single out a player for his lack of commitment to the team. Not once but twice.
Highly rated tight end Jahleel Billingsley did not feature in Alabama’s first two fall practices. No specific reason was given for his absence, however when questioned by the media, Coach Saban said this of his absent Tight End,
“He’s also got to buy into the principles and values of the team and be a good teammate…..do the things that everyone else in the organisation does so that he has the respect of his teammates.
We’re certainly trying to help him do that and hopefully he’ll be back out there with us in a few days. We’ll see how that all develops”.
Billingsley did return to fall camp but unfortunately for the talented Junior, this was not the end of Saban’s sharp words. When asked what Billingsley had to do to get back up to speed, Coach Saban had these stinging words to say,
“Well that’s up to him. That’s not up to me. He knows what he is supposed to do in practice….you know, this is not a democracy. Everybody doesn’t get to do what they want to do. Everybody doesn’t get to do what they feel like doing”.
Saban was in full flow at this point,
“You’ve got to buy in and do what you’re supposed to do.
Be a part of the team. Do the things you need to do in practice every day. Have a sense of urgency, play fast, execute, do your job”.
It’s a privilege for everyone to go out there and be able to create value for yourself.
You know we have scouts at practice every day
Saban said throwing his hands in the air,
“Everybody thinks its just about playing in the game. It’s not just about playing in the game…..
They watch practice films, they watch guys every day. You guys on ESPN, you evaluate what happens in a game. But they evaluate what happens every day”.
Saban went back to his mantra about creating value for yourself. He said,
“So what are you doing every day to create any value for yourself?
But you have to create value for yourself so that your teammates and everybody gets confidence in you, so that you have their confidence when you go out there and play.
That’s up to every player on the team.
I don’t make that decision for everyone on the team. I try to get them to do it. I try to point out the importance of them doing it. But its up to them to do it. So maybe that’s not my question to answer”.
Now, I don’t know what is happening in Billingsley’s world but I hope he is able to tackle it soon. These were strong words from his Head Coach, which would leave Jahleel Billingsey in no doubt what his Head Coach expects from him. No doubt.
#RollTide
GEORGE SOMERVILLE
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WRITER
A GLASWEGIAN LIVING IN LONDON, GEORGE IS A COLLEGE FOOTBALL FAN WHO FOLLOWS THE ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE. HE PROVIDES CFB CONTENT FOR THE TOUCHDOWN AND IS ONE THIRD OF THE COLLEGE CHAPS PODCAST.