OPINION

By Matt Hayes

updated 11:10 p.m. ET July 2, 2008

Matt Hayes

There is no easier target these days. He's one of the highest-paid coaches in college football and his program is a mess. He can't weed out malcontents fast enough, and he's still trying to find scholarships for his No. 1-ranked recruiting class.

These are the days when Nick Saban should be relaxing on Lake Burton in Georgia, decompressing until the grind of the season kicks in. Instead, he is dealing with this reality:

Last week's arrest of linebacker Jimmy Johns — on five counts of selling cocaine — brings the total to 10 players arrested since Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa.

Every coach goes through rough patches with players off the field; Urban Meyer and Phil Fulmer dealt with it last year, and Pete Carroll and Mack Brown did in 2006. You simply can't get away from it with 18-, 19- and 20-year-old kids.

There are two ways to look at Saban's predicament: Some players recruited by the former staff have resisted change, and/or Saban hasn't done a good job of clearly stating boundaries.

When a coach completely has the pulse of his team, players police players. And right now, that's not happening in Tuscaloosa — and that's why Alabama is the ultimate loser in the winners and losers this offseason.

I have little doubt Saban will win and win big at Alabama, but it may get worse before it gets better.

Other offseason winners and losers:

Winner: Joe Sixpack
The Big Ten and Comcast ended their bitter fight and gave everyone what they wanted: more access to league games.

Halle-flippin-luiah.

Please, please, please, Mike Slive: Get your league's SEC-TV worked out before everything kicks off. Or I may need to be defibrillated.

Loser: LSU
This could fall into the category of winning by losing. QB Ryan Perrilloux is a fabulous talent, and would've made LSU the SEC favorite and a serious contender to win it all again.

But he's also a loose cannon. At some point, he would've done something to derail the train. Now, after the end of the Perrilloux experiment/coddling, LSU knows what it has and can give full attention to the development of QBs Jarrett Lee and Andrew Hatch.

Of course, there is this lingering problem: The development of QBs Jarrett Lee and Andrew Hatch.

Winner: California
After all the legal haggling — and after both sides claimed victory — it appears major stadium renovations will begin at Cal. And that means coach Jeff Tedford — he of the 50 wins in six seasons — will hang around Berkeley until he retires.

Need I remind everyone of the three previous coaches at Cal? Tom Holmoe, Steve Mariucci and Keith Gilbertson combined for 42 wins (and four of those were later forfeited) in the 10 seasons prior to Tedford's arrival.

Pity to the police stuck with — how can I say this? — coaxing the tree-sitting protestors from their perch. Two words: biohazard suit.

Loser: Michigan
Am I the only one who sees this? Every day that passes with new coach Rich Rodriguez's pending legal problems is another day lost in public perception.

A quick memo to Michigan: Stop being holier than thou, suck it up and pay the $4 million to West Virginia to get Rod — and his family — out of this mess. This, everyone, is the reality of changing coaches in this day and age.

Michigan is fortunate that this is the offseason; there's no football to complicate the issue. If things get ugly early this fall — which they certainly could with a team in transition — watch how quickly the lawsuit settles. A bad season and legal problems would be disastrous for recruiting.

Winner: Notre Dame
Any coach anywhere will tell you it all begins on the lines of scrimmage. This isn't rocket science: Give up 58 sacks, get little or nothing from your offense.

So this offseason, Notre Dame's young, beleaguered offensive line grew up. And out. After playing last season with one 300-pounder on the line — and getting pushed around — the Irish will play this fall with all five starters weighing in at 300-plus.

The training staff had this high-tech way of examining caloric and fat intake, body weight percentages and a bunch of other variables that added up to this: It's good weight gain. Whatever that means.

Make no mistake, if ND can protect, the offense will flourish. The Irish have talent at the skill positions and QB Jimmy Clausen is much better than the freshman who couldn't set his feet, square his shoulders and throw — and read the defense — without getting pummeled.

Other winners
Washington: QB Jake Locker made big strides with his accuracy in spring camp, and the Huskies found two dynamic skill players in WR D'Andre Goodwin and slotback Chris Polk.

Ole Miss: Texas transfer QB Jevan Snead gives the offense a legitimate threat at the position.

Pittsburgh: Key starters are on target to return healthy from season-ending injuries last year (WR Derek Kinder, OL Jason Pinkston, DT Gus Mustakas), and QB Bill Stull — who sustained a season-ending thumb injury in Week 1 last year — clearly separated from last year's replacement, Pat Bostick.

Other losers
UCLA: The Bruins lost QBs Patrick Cowan (ACL) and Ben Olson (broken foot) to injuries. Cowan won't play this fall and Olson, who has a history of injuries, could be limited in fall camp. Next up: JC transfer Kevin Craft.

UCF: Lingering issues from the death of wideout Ereck Plancher during offseason conditioning drills will affect this team. The question: How deeply has it impacted the chemistry between C-USA's best team and its coaching staff?

MORE FROM COLLEGE FOOTBALL

College football Section Front

Vanderbilt upends No. 24 Gamecocks Wells won't play Saturday for No. 3 Ohio State Miami-Florida rematch has roles reversed Expert: Heisman repeat unlikely, but Tebow just fine Heisman Hopefuls: Tebow still on top No. 5 Florida, Miami finally will meet again Predictions 101: Florida too much for Miami Three players out for Penn St., 4th booted Vote: Who will win week's key games? San Diego prep QB eager to help Michigan College football Section Front   Add College football headlines to your news reader: