"I just developed an affinity for loving coaching" - Nick Saban sheds light on how his coaching journey started

Nick Saban is considered to be one of, if not, the greatest coaches in college football history. The Alabama Crimson Tide coach recently opened up on what led him to his coaching journey.

During a recent appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show", Saban said:

"One of the things that I love is coaching players. I started out as a quarterback in high school, only lasted one year as a quarterback in college because I was too short, couldn't see so they move me to defense.

"I never played defense in my life because coaches would never let the quarterback play defense. So I had some really good coaches and some really good mentors and I just developed an affinity for loving coaching the secondary."

Saban continued:

"I like coaching the players and did it in the NFL for a long time and had some good mentors there too. So one of the things that I learned from some former coaches that when you become a head coach, do you want to really sort of not be your best assistant?

"One of the things I've always tried to do is coach a lot of special teams, coach a lot of defense, never really coached offense but got to know offense to coach defense.

"So I always tried to be my best assistant and coaching the secondary, coaching defense was always something that, you know, I kind of grew up knowing and I tried to be my best assistant as a head coach."

Check out Nick Saban's comments on the beginning of his coaching career below (starting at the 1:23:30 mark):

Saban's legendary career has produced a staggering 287-70-1 record. Furthermore, he has won a record seven national championships as a coach.

Nick Saban praises Lane Kiffin ahead of Week 4 matchup

Lane Kiffin spent three years as Nick Saban's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach with the Alabama Crimson Tide. While Kiffin is now coaching the Ole Miss Rebels, who are SEC rivals with the Crimson Tide, Saban still holds him in high regard:

"Lane did a fantastic job when he was here. We kind of went from old-school ball to modern-day ball, I want to call it.

In terms of doing some things with RPOs and vantage throws and really sort of set us off for the future of what we do on offense and what we've been able to do on offense so I have nothing but respect for Lane and the kind of coach he is."

Check out Nick Saban's comments on Lane Kiffin below (starting at the 1:10:55 mark):

While Saban's Crimson Tide has won all three matchups with Kiffin's Rebels, both teams will enter their Week 4 meeting ranked in the top 15 in the nation. The Crimson Tide are 2-1 and likely need to win out to reach the College Football Playoff, while the Rebels are 3-0.