“Recruiting is the lifeline..” Nick Saban

Nick Saban and the Alabama coaching staff landed one of the finest recruiting classes in recent memory Wednesday. The Tide signed 32 players including 3 five-star recruits, 19 four-star recruits and 8 three-star recruits.

The recruiting triumph began Wednesday with the commitment from Mark Ingram. The momentum stayed with Alabama through Wednesday with the big names including Julio Jones and Jerrell Harris inking with the Tide.

Alabama’s recruiting class was ranked #1 by Rivals, Scout and other services. The holdout was ESPN’s Luginbill, who uses a flawed system more useful for the NFL than college recruiting.

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Saban culminated his finest day as Alabama’s head football coach with an afternoon press conference. Saban’s shared credit for the recruiting success with the coaches and support staff. And the fans.

Saban said the positive energy from the fans was important to the day’s success.

The 92,000 at Spring game was important too, “because it reflects a spirit, a tradition, an energy, a positive attitude of what we can build here.”

It was an invitation for another massive spring game turnout.

Saban was also a bit more upbeat today than at the end of the regular season. Saban looked miserable during the closing games of the 2007 campaign. But Wednesday, he was anxious to begin the off season program.

He said he’d prefer to watch the off season work than help his wife Terry move items into the lake house.