number one is organization.

alabama football is a multi-million dollar enterprise and, to succeed, it has to be run as such. one of the things about coach saban that i’m repeatedly impressed by is his “ceo” approach to the program. he sets the agenda, holds people accountable and creates a system where everyone knows what their job is and what is expected of them. he’s often accused of micromanaging by less than impressive observers – this article is a good example of why he is not.

it’s also worth mentioning that this attribute is one he shares with coach bryant. tom stoddard’s book, turnaround, outlines this as one of the first things coach bryant did when he arrived in tuscaloosa. practices were harder, yes, but practices also maximized the amount of time available. that’s an aspect of coach bryant’s approach often overlooked.

the second thing this article underscores is accountability. at point after point on that schedule the activities are notable in how there is a sense of being responsible. from the dress of the players, to the requirements for practice and so on. sure, i think the players and coaches played up things when they talked to the reporter but what seems abundantly clear is that if this is the slow day of the week in terms of work… well, it seems unlikely players will be hanging around gas stations at 2 a.m. in the morning so “bored” they’ll consider armed robbery a fun thing to do.