By Buddy Martin
SouthernPigskin.com

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In a one-on-one interview with the Ohio State coach, Urban Meyer professed a profound admiration for Nick Saban. However, he stopped short of calling Saban the cgreatest.d

Deep into the sunset of college football 2015, while the confetti is still falling on Alabama like the stars fell in the classic song written by Frank Perkins and Mitchell Parish, we are still measuring the leviathan achievement of the man from West Virginia.

The greatness of Nick Saban among current head coaches is unquestioned, perhaps even for all time. But how deep and how wide and far has it grown? Deeper than the deepest coal mines where his father once labored? Perhaps wider than the swath once cut by Bear Bryant?

Before Saban is canonized at the expense of his peers, lets not be too quick to dismiss some other coaches who might be in striking distance of greatest-ever. And given that Nick is 64, perhaps some of his accomplishments might still be at least equalled. Of course, Saban could also add another pelt or two to his national championship belt.

Remember Urban Meyer? A lot of SEC fans may be choosing not to. But Urban was a few points away last season from a crack at his fourth national championship. If he’d somehow won his fourth, what would we have been saying about Nick Saban?

Remember, in three post-season head-to-head meetings, Meyer is 2-1 against Saban.

In my one-on-one interview with the Ohio State coach, he professed a profound admiration for Saban. However, Meyer stopped short of calling Saban the cgreatest.d

“I certainly think hell (Saban) go down as one of the greatest in the history of college football,” said Meyer. “I know everybody knows that. But I dont want to say ‘the best 4 one of the top two or three.d

Dont think for a minute Meyer is dissing Saban or doesnt appreciate his genius.

“What he has is consistency in all areas — recruiting, developing players and holding a staff together. One of the issues Ive had over the years is losing assistant coaches. They become head coaches (Tom Herman). He lost a couple this year and one became a head coach (Kirby Smart).

cBut to sit here and talk about the job hes done is senseless,d said Meyer. “Thats the marquee program again.d

The key reasons: 1) Alabama is a recruiting machine; 2) After landing on campus in Tuscaloosa, players become highly developed; 3) Saban has a quest to always look for ways to change and improve his team.

No. 3 meant Saban putting his cantaloupes on the line with the onsides kick against Clemson at the perfect time. Nobody was more impressed with that call than Meyer, who also utilizes those cgame-changers/momentum changers.d There is no doubt in his mind that the onsides kick was on Sabans call sheet, just lying in the weeds waiting to be implemented. The reason it worked so well was it was so un-Saban-like. And many of us wondered if it was a spontaneous call.

“I know him very well and thats not him. Usually defensive coaches are very conservative. I dont think hes a spur-of-the-moment guy, I think hes got a sheet of paper. And like a lot of us do with these 8momentum changers 4 when its the ideal time. And the look they were getting. One flaw Clemson had was they didnt cover down on the width of their kickoff receiving team. So I imagine he had something in a piece of paper that says 8momentum changers.”

What also felt very cun-Saband was the hiring of the unorthdox Lane Kiffin, whose rep around the SEC had been pretty much as a juvenile.

“I think what hes done on offense with Kiffin was impressive,d said Meyer. “He has really adapted. And thats the key to being a great football coach. Adapting, moving forward and keeping on moving and understanding momentum 4 which he does.d

Serving as an analyst for ESPN, one thing Meyer got was an upclose look at the players and the teams. As impressive as he found Alabama, Urban also sees a bright future for Clemson. And hell never make the mistake again of disrespecting Dabo Swinneys program. When he was coaching at Florida and the Gators lost five-star C.J. Spiller to Clemson, Urban got furious at himself and his staff.

“I had never recruited against Clemson and I didnt know much about them. And to be honest I didnt properly respect them,d said Meyer. “Then you go there and see what they have 4 and its for real. Dabo awakened a sleeping giant! You havent heard the last of Clemson.d

Dabo has since become one of Urbans closest coaching friends.

Meyer thinks Watson will be the NFLs future No. 1 pick and had recruited him hard to play for the Buckeyes, but lost out again to his friend Dabo.

Speaking of the NFL, there were stories circulating in Ohio that the Cleveland Browns were after Meyer. Would there ever come a time when he wanted to try pro ball, as did Saban and Steve Spurrier?

cThis year I did have some opportunities, but were not ready,d said Meyer. “My son (Nate) is a sophomore in high school and I didnt even really consider it. I never want to say never, because people hold you to that. But at this point thats not something Im looking forward to doing.”

This was supposed to be Urbans chance to go back-to-back against Saban for The Big Trophy but a 17-14 loss to Michigan State gave the Spartans the unenviable task of taking on the Crimson Tide. And it was a Buckeye team that had lost some steam from the season before. Maybe there will be another shot in 2016 again?

“Alabama is going to lose a few players like we did, but every year Coach Saban finishes first or second in recruiting,d said Meyer.

The odds makers say Alabama is a slight edge over Clemson as the favorite next fall, followed by Ohio State, Baylor and Michigan — all in sort of a cluster. Nick Saban has hardly had time to hold the trophy. There are players to be recruited and coaches to be hired. Being The Greatest comes with a price.