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Western Carolina coach slams Kirk Herbstreit for GameDay comments

Western Carolina coach Mark Speir took offense to ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit's feelings about FCS teams playing FBS teams.

Four SEC schools – Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Georgia – played FCS schools on Saturday and on GameDay, Herbstreit, an avowed critic of the ability of FBS teams to play FCS schools, expressed his disdain for the practice again. Western Carolina played Alabama, and Speir made this comment after the game, which Alabama won 48-14.

He didn't name Herbstreit, but the direction of the comment was clear given that Herbstreit used to play quarterback at Ohio State.

"A guy had a silver spoon in his mouth all his life, Ohio State, primadonna state quarterback talking about, 'It's an embarrassment,'" Speir said via Al.com. "He ain't ever coached."

Speir complimented Herbstreit's GameDay partner in Lee Corso, who doesn't share Herbstreit's stance.

"(Corso said) Alabama, they're a great school and because they played Western Carolina today, they're still a great school and they're still going to win a national championship,"

While it's easy to support Herbstreit's stance if you want more competitive football games throughout the course of a season, the games against FBS teams are a vital financial source for FCS schools. Western Carolina pocketed nearly $500,000 for the game. It's money the football program wouldn't have if it played another FCS school.

Plus, Alabama hasn't exactly had an easy time finding opponents. Bigger schools aren't all lining up at once to play the Crimson Tide. However, while we understand Speir was fired up, he's also doing himself a disservice by going all-in on the rhetoric slamming Herbstreit.

"Coach Saban had a lot of great things before and after the game about FCS playing the big boys," Speir said. "Alabama needed this game. Like I said, whether they win or lose, Alabama, I think those fans had a good time today.

"I'm just proud of FCS football, I'm proud of our football team, I hope America doesn't listen to a guy who sits behind a mike that hasn't ever done it, with that silver spoon in his mouth, he never had probably a bloody nose or a callous like some of these guys."

For more Alabama news, via TideSports.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!