As Nick Saban prepares for his 10th A-Day at Alabama, he remembers how his prodigious run through college football might not have been possible without that first A-Day in 2007.

It was there that Saban set the tone for what his program would be and impressed recruits with a packed Bryant-Denny Stadium for a spring game. When 92,138 people showed up to Saban's first A-Day it made very clear to every recruit in attendance that Crimson Tide fans support the program in a special way.

"I don't think there's any question about the fact that it has a tremendous impact on recruiting," Saban said. "That was probably the catalyst that helped us to - my comments about the spirit and the passion being sort of rekindled made a lot of players see this was a great place to come and there was a great spirit and great support for them to come here. I think it was very important. I think it's still important today."

Since that record-breaking A-Day in 2007, Alabama has used its spring game as a way to get its top recruiting targets on campus. It parades them around a packed campus and lets them watch the captain ceremony at Denny Chimes in addition to the actual game inside the stadium. Every year Alabama seems to get multiple verbal commitments immediately following A-Day as recruits are almost in awe of it all. Tight end Brandon Greene and linebacker Ryan Anderson are two of numerous players currently on Alabama's roster that made their college decision during a previous A-Day.

It was at A-Day that Greene got the go-ahead from the most important person in his life to make his college decision.

"A-Day was my first day bringing my mom," Greene said. "She was like 'Yeah, I like it.' As long as I got that from my mom, I was like 'Yeah, I can go ahead and come.' It was less stressful on me my senior year."

Saturday represents another major recruiting opportunity for the Crimson Tide. Alabama will have many of its former players back in town -- Mark Ingram and Eddie Lacy, to name two -- for Saban's 10th A-Day in Tuscaloosa. Five-star offensive lineman Isaiah Wilson and five-star cornerback Stanford Samuel are two of the biggest names of an expected group of visitors that also includes top in-state priorities such as linebacker Markail Benton and offensive lineman Austin Troxell.

Saban has made multiple pitches asking fans to come out to A-Day because he knows how important it is to keeping the momentum going off a national championship win in January. He saw it build the foundation for his dynasty back in 2007 and his 10th A-Day represents another opportunity to keep that legacy going.

"We want to sustain success here, sustain recruiting success, which is probably the key to be able to continue to be successful. I think we also need to make the spirit and enthusiasm we show, which includes A-Day, that makes it special to be a player here.

"And I think that certainly impacts recruiting."