Who says Vanderbilt and Alabama aren’t rivals? After Vanderbilt head coach, James Franklin, called Alabama head coach Nick Saban, ‘Nicky Satan,’ they might just become rivals.
While talking to a group of high schoolers at Central High School in Macon, Ga, Franklin went for the kill shot. “There’s this guy down at Alabama, I think his name is Nicky Satan. You guys have probably heard of him before. I’m going to outwork him.”
Franklin later apologized and clarified what he meant.
“(I was) really talking about the work ethic that he has a reputation for and that we’re going to outwork them,” Franklin said. “I made a joke, and in today’s society with all the media and social media and people with tape recorders and things like that, it doesn’t come off that way. I know people have tremendous pride in Alabama, and their fans are fanatical. So I understand. But it was a joke, and I didn’t mean to offend anybody.”
Franklin is doing an absolutely phenomenal job of restoring Vanderbilt’s football program, leading them to their first 9 win season since 1915. However, I’m sure Franklin wishes he could take back his comments so that he’s not on the bad side of the defending SEC and National Champions.