DESTIN, Fla. - Alabama coach Nick Saban said he found it "funny" that reports accusing him of illegal contact with recruits surfaced from Miami, where he previously coached in the NFL.
The Miami Herald and canesports.com, a University of Miami fan Web site, reported last week three South Florida junior prospects described conversations that might have exceeded NCAA rules.
"You really can't prove what you didn't do," Saban said Tuesday at the SEC spring meetings, where he addressed the topic for the first time.
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"We respect the rules and certainly have always respected the rules and will continue to do that. And I think it's funny that it came from Miami."
When asked if the reports were inaccurate, Saban responded: "I said I think it's funny it came from Miami."
Saban declined to comment further.
The NCAA limits coaches to "exchange of a greeting" with recruits between April 15 and May 31. The Herald and canesports.com quoted recruits saying they had conversations with Saban about football skills, football camps, unofficial visits and the University of Alabama.
Speaking generally about spring recruiting, Saban said head coaches face "very awkward" situations on the road.
"We had meetings about this stuff, whether head coaches should go out in the spring," said Saban, who supports head coaches being on the road during this period.
"We're put in very awkward situations relative to going into high schools and people come up to you wanting pictures and autographs, and certainly high school coaches want you to meet and promote their program. I think it's really important that one of the things we have a responsibility and obligation to do - is we need to promote our game."
Saban, widely criticized for leaving the Miami Dolphins after two years and saying publicly he would not become Alabama's coach, touched on that topic briefly too.
"Most people in Alabama don't realize what the Sabans went through leaving the Miami Dolphins - some of the media issues created there with us leaving there and going back to college football," Saban said.
Saban, the former LSU head coach, also met for the first time with LSU coach Les Miles, who used an expletive in February in describing Alabama as the school's new recruiting rival.
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Asked if there were any harsh words between the two, Saban replied, "About what? I don't have any bad feelings towards him. I can't speak for him, though."
Miles told a Louisiana reporter this week his Alabama comment was caught up in the excitement of recruiting and because Saban went hard after several Louisiana players who committed to LSU. Defensive end Luther Davis de-committed and signed with Alabama.
There were reports during the recruiting season that Saban was critical of Miles and his assistants when talking with Louisiana prospects. Miles said he has no proof of that happening.
Saban said he sells what Alabama has to offer and doesn't recruit negatively against other schools.
"There's certainly a special respect on my part for LSU and the people in Louisiana and the program they have there, that we spent five years of blood, sweat and tears trying to make it what it is," Saban said. "Some people have done an outstanding job of continuing that there, and we respect that as well."
