Kentucky coach on why NFL was tough for Saban, Spurrier

Kentucky head football coach Rich Brooks knows the NFL. During the 1990s, Brooks, after leaving the college ranks (Oregon), coached the St. Louis Rams for two seasons, going 13-19. Then spent four years with the Atlanta Falcons on Dan Reeves' staff. He was with the Falcons when they reached the Super Bowl. So, in short, he knows the NFL. In a question and answer with ESPN.com's Chris Low, Brooks shared his thoughts on why Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier struggled in the NFL.

Any theories on why coaches like Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier that had great success in the SEC didn't pan out in the NFL?
RB: A guy like Saban and Spurrier come from very successful (college) programs where they had total control of most everything that happened and then they went into a situation where they didn't have total control. They may tell you that you do going in, but you don't. You've got the general manager, the owner, the college personnel guy, the pro personnel guy, and they're all in their own little power plays. It's a different environment, and it's all football. But there's also a lot of politics in the NFL. There's not as much politics in college football, and you have more people pulling the wagon in the same direction in college than you do in the NFL. It's a power-oriented league. Some coaches get in and they think it will be one way, but it's not.

As for why Brooks is back coaching in college, he said, "I just got burned out and decided, 'I don't need this anymore.' "