A Nick Saban vs. Jim Harbaugh Feud Is Exactly What College Football Needs

DESTIN, Fla. — You never let a good controversy go to waste, and Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh pounced on one created, in part, by Alabama head coach Nick Saban on Tuesday night.

Speaking at SEC spring meetings prior to the head coaches' meetings with administrators, Saban went off on the NCAA's ruling earlier this spring that allows coaches to "guest-coach" at the camps of other schools and institutions—commonly known as "satellite camps."

"I go to a camp and I'm talking to some guy I don't know from Adam's housecat and he's representing some kid because he put the camp on," Saban said, "and then I'm in trouble for talking to this guy? And who even knows if the guy paid to go to the camp. Is the NCAA going to do that?"

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When asked specifically if he would hold a different position if he were still in the Big Ten, like Michigan's Jim Harbaugh (who has more than 30 satellite camp appearances scheduled in June alone), Saban took it further.

"I'm not blaming Jim Harbaugh, I'm not saying anything about him. I'm just saying it's bad for college football," Saban said. "Jim Harbaugh can do whatever he wants to do. I'm not saying anything bad about him if he thinks that's what's best. There needs to be somebody that looks out for what's best for the game, not what's best for the Big Ten or what's best for the SEC."

I didn't view it as a shot at Harbaugh or Michigan's compliance while standing in the basement theater of the Sandestin Hilton, and I'm not sure anybody could.

It didn't matter for Harbaugh, who took to Twitter to respond:

What Harbaugh is likely referring to is the situation involving former Alabama defensive line coach Bo Davis, who "resigned" earlier this spring due to an NCAA investigation into, according to Aaron Suttles and Andrew Bone of the Tuscaloosa News, an inquiry into recruiting violations.

On Wednesday, Saban fired back according to ESPN's Chris Low (via Brett McMurphy):

Saban wasn't mad at Harbaugh, he was mad at the system.

But if Harbaugh wants to make it about himself for the purposes of self-promotion, I'm all for it. 

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We need it during this time of year to hold us over until football season starts.

Plus, with Alabama on a quest to defend its College Football Playoff national championship and Michigan squarely in virtually every preseason Top 10, manufacturing a season-long collision course between the two traditional powers with high-profile head coaches would make for a tremendous storyline this fall.

The clash of the titans in college football would pale in comparison to the clash of personalities between Saban and Harbaugh.

Saban is the proven winner. The holder of four of the last seven national championships. The man who as traditionally used the offseason pulpit at spring meetings and other events to try to usher in change that he feels would benefit himself, his team, his conference and the entire sport.

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Harbaugh is the new kid with a big reputation who moved to town from a few towns over. He's a proven winner from a different area code who is now threatening the bully. He's the guy who, unlike Saban—who proudly stays off of Twitter publicly—will use the power of social media to market, advertise, converse and troll, knowing that all publicity is good publicity. 

Can you imagine what a pregame handshake would be like between the two?

Or that awkward photo teams take prior to bowl games with both head coaches standing next to the trophy?

We wouldn't get just one "what's your deal" moment like the one that took place between Harbaugh and former USC head coach Pete Carroll while Harbaugh was with Stanford. We'd get many.

Yes, some rivalries are manufactured.

Arkansas and LSU created the Golden Boot, Missouri and South Carolina have the Columbia Cup, and UConn tried to start something with UCF, for some reason.

That's fine.

A Saban vs. Harbaugh battle in the press, on social media and hopefully on a football field near you some time this fall or winter raises awareness, brings more attention to the sport and grows the game.

That's a good thing.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report, as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.