It is an attitude that Saban has sold to his players, and that they now follow enthusiastically. That is why there is a good chance Alabama will be the preseason favorite to repeat as national champs next year. They have the talent, they have the resources, and they have a head coach who expects nothing less.

In fact, do not be surprised if Saban quietly uses the McCoy issue as offseason motivation for his returning players. He will contend that, despite winning the national championship, the Tide still doesn’t have the respect of the nation. He will convince his players that they have to go out and do it all again, or else the team will not receive the recognition it deserves.

That is the Saban way. It’s not a suitable style for everybody. Some players definitely would balk at his dictatorial ways. Some assistant coaches as well.

Still, one thing cannot be argued. Saban’s style, at least for this college football season, worked.

“He’s just a coach who is driven, and he has a vision, and he tries to do his best to instill his characteristics in us,” said Alabama running back Mark Ingram, who has both a national title and a Heisman Trophy under Saban’s tutelage. “Just the things he can do to influence younger players is how he gets these national championship teams.

“He influences athletes to buy into his system. … He just tries to instill the characteristics that drive him into us, and we feed off each other.”

Special feature   On the Mark Running back Mark Ingram is Alabama's first Heisman Trophy winner.

And so a program that was starving for a national championship has been fed, and the beast that is Alabama football will briefly be sedated.

But Alabama fans will quickly be expecting more. Talk will begin soon, if it already hasn’t, about the Tide’s chances of repeating. About becoming the dominant team in college football for years to come.

And they will be happy in knowing that, in Nick Saban, they have a coach who also expects nothing less. Just like that guy who used to wear the houndstooth hat.

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