HOOVER, Ala. - Alabama football coach Nick Saban stood at the first tee Thursday with a driver in his hand and about 350 people around him, many wearing Crimson Tide hats and shirts.

“You better hope I can coach better than I play golf,” the $4 million-a-year man told the crowd before teeing off at a pro-am tournament on the eve of the Regions Charity Classic.

“We’re counting on it, coach,” someone yelled back. He didn’t sound like he was kidding.


That’s life these days for Nick Saban: Big crowds almost anywhere he goes, coupled with even bigger expectations headed into his first season in Tuscaloosa.

Any Southeastern Conference football coach lives in a fishbowl: Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville and South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier had their share of fans at the practice tee. But then came Saban, surrounded by five police officers and two university staffers, one a photographer and the other carrying items to be autographed.

Charles Barkley — who went from Auburn to the NBA to his current gig as TV analyst — greeted Saban with a hearty handshake.

“Welcome to Alabama,” Barkley said. “I was really disappointed they fired the other coach. The other coach couldn’t coach a lick.”Saban laughed. And he didn’t even try a comeback for Barkley’s line about former Crimson Tide coach Mike Shula, who got the ax after last year’s losing season.

Playing with a group that included Alabama basketball coach Mark Gottfried, athletic director Mal Moore and tour professional Hale Irwin, Saban was swarmed by fans.

Saban hit a fairway shot. “Roll Tide,” someone yelled.

Saban sank a routine putt. “You da man, coach!” someone screamed.

Gottfried, who has been at Alabama since 1998, joked about the fan response to Saban, who hasn’t coached a game yet but drew more than 92,000 people to a spring scrimmage.

“Maybe we can pick up some people from him,” Gottfried said.