Hey Coach Saban, Here’s Why You Should Get a Twitter Account

"I’ve never been big with social media. Takes a lot of time. You got to respond to a lot of things. I’ve tried to focus on two things here: how do we develop our players and how do we bring players to our team? Whether it’s how we evaluate them or how we develop relationships to be able to recruit them here. So far, that’s worked OK. If any of you out there can convince me that me having a Twitter account is gonna help us do a better job in either one of those things, then I might consider it. Otherwise, I don’t know why I would consider doing it. No players have come to me and talked to me about it. But I would say this, if I thought it would enhance players’ chances to improve their brand by something that I did, I would be all for it."

That's how head coach Nick Saban closed his Wednesday afternoon press conference. Imagine the thought of it, @CoachNickSaban on the ole Twitter machine.

It sounds insane. It sounds completely against everything we've learned about Saban over the past 14 years in Tuscaloosa. But the man said it himself: if it helps the organization, it's a possibility.

First of all, Saban doesn't have to be like Lane Kiffin and actually manage his own Twitter account. Maybe that kills some of the fun, but that's not really the point of this possible account. We're trying to help the Crimson Tide football team, and taking time out of Saban's already tight schedule isn't in anyone's best interest.

Here's the thing, Saban is always recruiting. Always. And a Twitter account helps secure one of the criteria he asked for: "... bringing players to the team."

That's the strongest reason a Twitter account would be a positive. Sure, Saban is already lauded as the best recruiter the sport has ever seen, but there's something special to athletes that see recognition from a name like Saban.

For example, 90% of LSU head coach Ed Orgeron's Twitter looks like this:

Is it groundbreaking? Maybe not. But it can boost morale in the fan base and give recruits something to look forward to after a commitment. The little things in recruiting go a long way, after all.

How about Lane Kiffin? Kiffin retweets recruits who announce Ole Miss in their top 5, or that they've received an offer or if they've committed. He also retweeted a ton of posts about ESPN naming Oxford as the top college town in the United States.

"Now, Linda, his assistant, is -- probably prints them out, especially the ones that he may not like. So he probably does see those. But I think it's all in fun."

-Lane Kiffin SEC Media Days

Read More: Lane Kiffin Trolls Saban on Twitter, Shocked at Young's NIL Money

Sure, those are small boosts, but these are simple measures that show a presence and connection to the university.

I can hear it now, 'Saban doesn't need those things!' and that's absolutely true. But I have a counter. What did Saban do during the offseason last year when the pandemic set a dead period in recruiting? He was all over ESPN and every radio show he could frequent, keeping the Crimson Tide in the focal point of every recruit's mind. And it worked. Twitter does the same thing.

But the advantages aren't limited to recruiting. How about Nick's Kids Foundation. A Nick Saban Twitter account could provide more and more updates on the great works his foundation does. It's not bragging about selfless works, it's showing there's more to the man than football.

How about name, image and likeness? ".... if I thought it would enhance players’ chances to improve their brand by something that I did, I would be all for it."

Well, Saban already used Bryce Young's earnings as a recruiting tactic right before SEC Media Days. Going one step further with a simple retweet of other players' deals and sponsorships, or a boost to player accounts when they are ready for quality NIL deals can help players secure bigger and better deals. So long as that fits within rules and regulations, that means more boosts to recruiting.

"So what you put out there is creating value for you, one way or another," Saban said in a separate answer Wednesday night. "So it’s no different than we’ve always done. We promote guys to try to create value in their brand by what they do personally, academically and athletically. That’s how you create value and that’s what people are interested in."

Why shouldn't that quote apply to Saban and his juggernaut program? It'd be incredibly naive to believe that Alabama football's brand can't be boosted to even greater heights, especially if a useful Saban Twitter account existed.

Is a Saban Twitter account absolutely necessary to Alabama's continued success? Clearly, that answer is no. But could a Saban Twitter account add value to the overall brand of Alabama football and thus help "bring players to the team?" It's quite likely.

Isn't that what Saban does, though? He evolves. He finds little advantages and exploits them to perfection to overcome every hurdle. It's not a matter of liking social media or falling into a distraction, it's finding every possible advantage in an ever-evolving sport.

So, what do ya say, coach? @CoachNickSaban is available.