Charles Kelly sees similarities between Deion Sanders and Nick Saban
Although they haven’t seen eye-to-eye on everything, Deion Sanders and Nick Saban have quite a bit in common, at least according to Charles Kelly, who recently joined Coach Prime’s Colorado staff as a defensive coordinator following four seasons at Alabama.
Few have matched their respective success in the sport of football — whether via playing, coaching or both — and Kelly believes that Sanders and Saban share similar leadership philosophies. Here’s what Kelly told reporters on Friday at Pac-12 media day (h/t CBS Sports):
“There are a lot more similarities between coach Saban and (Deion Sanders) than there are differences,” Kelly told reporters. “When I say that, I always say this first of all: They are both very good men. They have conviction. When they believe in something, they fight for it. That is the sign of a good person. And they tell you the truth — not what you want to hear, but what you need to hear. They are very similar in that aspect.
“They have a way of setting the standard. They are not going to deviate off that standard. The standard is the standard. So they are not going to come off it. Everybody that works for them are going to be the same way. So when the standard is the standard, you’re a leader, and you bring people to that standard, it’s how you elevate your program. Those are the similarities I see between coach (Saban) and Coach Prime.”
For Saban, that approach has helped produce nearly 300 career wins and seven national championships throughout his 27 years as a college head coach. After winning 27 games during his three years at Jackson State, Sanders’ standards remain high ahead of his first season at Colorado.
While he was filling in for Sanders at Pac-12 media day, Kelly had much more to say about CU’s new head coach, which you can read about here.
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