In the fallout of Nick Saban’s retirement, the search for his legendary culture has sent Bama players scattering to find an adequate replacement. When one of his former defensive linemen found similar standards at Ohio State, he couldn’t help but bring attention to it.

“It kind of gave me that feeling back when I visited as a freshman with Saban. It kind of felt like that,” Alabama’s former DL James Smith said to the media after the Buckeyes’ fourth spring practice. “I feel like the intensity is different. … Everything is so intentional. Everything is already laid out. They have a new coaching staff at Bama, they’re still trying to learn and stuff. Here it’s already stable, they already know.”

Ryan Day has clearly adopted a Saban-style approach to spring practice. Every drill operates on a strict, minute-by-minute schedule with zero wasted motion. Coaches demand absolute perfection on reps, pulling guys immediately for missed assignments. This is a hallmark of the legendary accountability Nick Saban built in Tuscaloosa.

For Smith, stepping onto the Columbus practice field felt like a trip back in time. The organized chaos and extreme focus instantly mirrored his high school recruiting visits with Saban. It’s a culture built on rigid standards that Alabama perfected for years.

When Smith says Ohio State feels the same, it reflects his respect for the way the program is being run under Ryan Day. What makes players’ confidence so much stronger at Ohio State is their defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia. Under him, Ohio State built one of the best defenses in the country, allowing just 8.2 points per game. They also give up just 129 passing yards and 84.5 rushing yards per game.

That success gave Smith a clear picture of how Ryan Day’s team is focusing on winning. Whereas under Kalen DeBoer, the team is still fighting for relevance. Alabama is still a bit inconsistent, losing games against teams like Florida State, Vanderbilt, and Oklahoma. Fans show constant dissatisfaction with the success rate under DeBoer. That takes a toll on players too.

Smith isn’t the only former Tide standout noticing the similarities. Safety Caleb Downs, who made the jump to Columbus earlier, echoed those exact sentiments. Downs quickly realized that Ryan Day’s staff shared Nick Saban’s obsession with “doing things the right way,” demanding discipline every single snap. On top of that, he was one reason why Smith agreed to move to Ohio State.

“Caleb Downs is like my brother, so, like, I talk to him almost every day.” Smith said, “You know, he wanted me to come here every day.”

James Smith is making major progress with Ohio State

James Smith came into Ohio State with a lot of hype, and his coaches and teammates already see that and believe that he will be an important player for the team in 2026. Well, this confidence comes from his performance at Alabama. In the three years there, he played 37 games, started 12 of them, while recording 50 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and a fumble recovery.

Now on his new team, Smith says he feels very good during spring practice. He is focused on learning new things and improving his game. He likes the new environment because it helps him grow.

“I feel great,” Smith said. “I feel like the ability to learn is very high. So, it’s just like coming out and being open to new things. And that’s really why I came here anyway, was just learning and being open ears, just learning.”

When Smith talks about how he plays, he says two things are very important: being aggressive and staying disciplined. It means he brings high intensity and looks to attack early, while still sticking to his role and avoiding unnecessary mistakes.

“Just being violent,” Smith said. “Just getting off the ball, trying to be disruptive, and just doing my job for the team.”

With eighteen defensive starters gone, Ohio State desperately needs James Smith to anchor the line. If he can tap into that Saban-era discipline he’s finding under Ryan Day, he could be the centerpiece of a championship-caliber defense.