Nick Saban credits Bill Belichick for helping him be better

Nick Saban spent 4 years as the defensive coordinator under Bill Belichick with the Cleveland Browns and he learned a thing or 2 during his tenure. Bill Belichick helped turn Nick Saban into one of the great defensive minds in football. More than that, though, he taught Saban how to run a successful program, which Saban clearly took to heart. He's gone and built a dynasty at Alabama, winning 3 0f the last 4 national championships. Sound familiar, Pats fans? The student has emulated the mentor and won 3 of 4 championships.

Here's what Saban had to say, per NESN:

“Bill, from a professional standpoint, made me so much more aware professionally of things that you could do organizationally to improve you know a football team,” Saban said. “ I had never been at that level before. Bill was really well organized, very very smart and had so much detail in every part of the organization. And [he would] define for everybody in the entire building what the expectation was for them.”

Saban went on to talk specifics about how to get the organization in sync week in and week out and he touched on how the team would undergo a "constant evolution." That's something we as Patriots fans have become accustomed to in 14 years of the Bill Belichick Era.

Alabama may not look like winning another title this year, but they're still #1 right now. And Nick Saban will go down as one of the great football coaches in either college football or the NFL because of his exploits with Alabama. And he's not done with Alabama. Also, lest we forget that he won the 2003 national title with LSU.

Source: NESN

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