Saban and Meyer Draw Spotlight at SEC

Alabama coach Nick Saban signs autographs before leaving the Southeastern Conference football media days, Thursday, July 26, 2007, in Hoover, Ala.(AP Photo/Rob Carr) (Rob Carr - AP)

The reality is that he inherits a team that went 6-7 last season and lost its final four games, including an embarrassing loss to Mississippi State that helped prompt Mike Shula's firing.

But Saban's players aren't shying away from the heightened expectations.

"We're expected to win," center Antoine Caldwell said. "We have enough talent on this football team where we should win games. We have enough talent on this team where we should win big football games."

Saban's return to the SEC has heightened the intensity of Alabama's rivalry with LSU, widely considered the Western Division front-runner. He said a Tide administrative assistant even had her tires slashed while attending a wedding in Baton Rouge, La.

"We have a tremendous amount of respect for LSU and we have a lot of great relationships in Louisiana and want to continue to have those," Saban said. "We hope that people understand that it's our love and passion for college football that brought us back."

Saban's first meeting with his former team on Nov. 3 is something even Meyer said he's looking forward to.

"I know how passionate these fans are down here in the South," Meyer said. "That's going to be a great story line in college football this year. A little bit like when Coach (Steve Spurrier) came back to Florida last year. What a great story line for college football."

Another nice story line: The Gators' bid for a repeat national title, something the school's basketball team has already managed.

Meyer has brought in Florida hoops coach Billy Donovan and New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick to discuss that challenge with his team.

"Don't bask in our glory, that's how I feel about it," safety Tony Joiner said. "We had a great year last year but it was last year. If we live in last year, we won't win this year."

The Gators have only 21 scholarship upperclassmen on the roster and nine players were drafted after the season, including first-round defenders Jarvis Moss and Reggie Nelson. Plus, Tim Tebow is going from a complementary role with quarterback Chris Leak to the starting job.

Receiver Andre Caldwell feels Tebow is up to the task and is a better passer than some fans realize since he was used more as a runner last season.

"He's a lot more confident than most quarterbacks," Caldwell said. "He believes in himself. He works harder than anybody I've ever seen in my life."

Plus, he said, "He throws a great ball."

Meyer said a common denominator for his most successful teams at Florida and Utah was they were "great practice teams."

And this group?

"Unfortunately, I've seen some chinks in the armor," Meyer said. "I've seen some things show up that's not correlated to a tough football team. However, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt."