“Nick Saban’s the GOAT for everybody”: Mikaylah Williams and Amani Bartlett admit getting star-struck meeting LSU legend
After meeting legendary head coach Nick Saban in a recent shootaround, LSU Tigers players Mikaylah Williams and Amani Bartlett admitted to getting star-struck in the post-game interview. Kim Mulkey's team secured a dominant 95-36 win over the Northwestern State Demons on Friday night.
LSU Players Left Star-Struck After Meeting Nick Saban
Saban is currently an analyst on ESPN's College Gameday. The 73-year-old visited the Tigers's shootaround to share some words of wisdom with Mulkey's players. When asked about how valuable it was to meet Saban, the Lady Tigers admitted they were in awe of him.
I think a lot of us were star-struck at first seeing him. For me, I was a little star-struck but I didn't show it too much. He gave us some motivating words on life in general. I think there were some valuable words that he told us. And I took it to heart." Amani Bartlett said.
Saban is considered by many as one of the best football coaches of all time. Thus, it is no wonder that both Williams and Bartlett have been left star-struck following their exchange with the former LSU great.
You know, Nick Saban's the GOAT for everybody for what he did at LSU and Alabama. Obviously I was in there locked in on what he was saying and just taking in all the words he was saying. I'm really just ready to put that in play in my life and want to go forward with what he was saying." Mikaylah Williams added.
In 2000, Saban was hired as the head coach of LSU following his four-year coaching spell at Michigan State (1995-99). He managed to help the Tigers earn a 48-16 overall record while leading them to two conference championships and a national title in 2003. He then went on to lead the Alabama Crimson Tide to six national championship and established the program as the most dominant in the sport.
In a 2019 interview with USA TODAY Network, Saban reflected on his time in college football. He hinted at some regret for leaving LSU when he did to pursue a head coaching job in the NFL.
As it turns out, what I learned from that experience in hindsight was, it was a huge mistake to leave college football," Saban admitted.
And I know a lot of LSU fans think I left for whatever reasons, but I left because I wanted to be a pro coach, or thought I wanted to be a pro coach. We loved LSU. We worked hard to build the program. If there was one thing professionally that I would do over again, it would've been not to leave LSU." Saban said.
The Lady Tigers hold a 2-0 record to start this college basketball season. It has been a dominant start to this campaign for Mulkey's team. Williams, Bartlett and company will now turn their attention to the game against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers next week.