It's not often that Nick Saban takes grief about much of anything.

When you've won five college football national championships since 2003 you tend to avoid criticism.

But Saban said he was chastised during the Predators Stanley Cup Final run when he showed up for a game at Bridgestone Arena against the Pittsburgh Penguins decked out in a Predators jersey, which went viral.

"I don't think anybody knows the sacrifice that I had to make because I grew up in West Virginia, 100 miles south of Pittsburgh and everyone I know is a Penguins fan," Saban said. "So when I took that picture with that Predators shirt on, that was not only a commitment, that was conviction to the team because I was going to catch it when all my friends saw that and I certainly did."

Saban was in Nashville for the grand opening of the Mercedes-Benz of Music City dealership for which he and his wife, Terry, are co-owners along with Joe Agresti.

He said he got hooked on hockey while keeping tabs on the Predators' success this past season and now considers himself a bona fide fan.

"I love the Predators, I love the spirit that the city showed when it got behind them," Saban said. "The atmosphere at the game was unbelievable. I've never really seen much like it."

What Saban likes about hockey is that it reminds him of football.

"I think there's a lot of comparisons (between the two sports)," Saban said. "First of all, they're both great competitive sports. They're great team sports. I have great appreciation for the speed of the game. But also the toughness, man. The physical play of these guys. There's a lot of mental toughness and a lot of physical toughness out there and a lot of good athletes."

Saban and his wife also co-own automobile dealerships with Agresti in Birmingham and Hoover, Ala.

Saban hopes to catch a Predators regular-season game this season because he will likely be in town more often now that he has a dealership here.

The next time he will be in Nashville will be when Alabama plays at Vanderbilt on Sept. 23. He won't be able to visit the dealership on that trip because his focus will be on the game, which he expects to be a challenge because Derek Mason has the Commodores on an uptick.

"Derek has done an outstanding job," Saban said. "I think the foundation was laid prior to him getting here, but he has certainly done a good job of sticking with his philosophy of what he believes is important so that they can have success."

Jamie Graham joins football coaching staff at Hillsboro

Former Whites Creek and Vanderbilt football standout Jamie Graham couldn't find it in himself to say no to one of the area's most successful high school coaches and is now back on the field coaching.

Graham was approached by new Hillsboro coach Maurice Fitzgerald earlier this summer and asked if he'd be interested in joining his staff.

Fitzgerald, who was previously at Stratford, has a 124-82 career record with two state championships, which he won at Pearl-Cohn.

"Coach Fitzgerald knew my grandmother and I didn't know that," said Graham, who teaches special education at Hillsboro. "Of course, I had a lot respect for him growing up. Every time I would see him I would make sure to speak to him and he would call me by name."

Fitzgerald said he was surprised Graham wasn't coaching football. Graham is an assistant basketball coach at the school.

"He said if I was interested he'd love to have me on his staff," Graham said. "It was impossible to turn down that offer from someone legendary like coach Fitzgerald."

Graham was a receiver and defensive back who actually finished his college football career at UCLA. He played for the Nashville Venom of the Professional Indoor Football League in 2014.

Belmont professor sets record in 314-mile race

Belmont professor Francesca Muccini not only won, but set the course record in the Last Annual Vol State Road Race.

The race is an ultra-marathon that stretches 314 miles originating in Dorena Landing, Mo., covering 291 miles across Tennessee and ending in Castle Rock, Ga.

Muccini finished the grueling race in four days, 4:18:05. She became only the second woman to win.

Only 73 runners completed the course.

Muccini received a proclamation last week from the Tennessee Senate for her achievement.

Ex-Vol Jalen Hurd listed as receiver at Baylor

Former Tennessee Vols running back Jalen Hurd,who left the team late in the regular season last fall, is listed as a wide receiver at Baylor.

Hurd enrolled at Baylor in May. He will have one year of eligibility remaining after he redshirts this season.

He is listed at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds on Baylor's athletic web site. That's 20 pounds lighter than when he was at UT.

C.J. Beathard making strong bid to be 49ers backup QB

Former BGA quarterbackC.J. Beathardhas reportedly been impressive in the San Francisco 49ers preseason camp.

Beathard, who played at Iowa and was drafted by the 49ers in the third round, already has gotten some snaps with the second team, according to KNBR-TV.

Brian Hoyer is the starter. Beathard entered camp hoping to earn the backup job along with Matt Barkley and Nick Mullens.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Beathard’s ability to quickly pick up the offense moved him ahead of the others.

“He’s a very quick thinker,” Shanahan said. “He’ll react and let it rip. He prepares very hard. He is very intelligent. There’s a knack that certain people have in the pocket where they don’t sit there and just freeze paralysis by analysis."”

Wracher resigns as head of local FCA

Mark Wracher, a former Vanderbilt quarterback, has stepped down as executive director of the Greater Nashville Fellowship of Christian Athletes and been replaced by Al Schierbaum.

Wracher spent four years in the position.

Schierbaum has spent 20 years with the FCA in Georgia, Ohio, Texas and Missouri.

Kynadie Adams shines in Women's Open

Gallatin's Kynadie Adams, an eighth-grader at Goodpasture, finished fifth in the 19th annual Golf Capital of Tennessee Women's Open playing against much older and more experienced players at Stonehenge Golf Club.

Adams posted a 3-over par 219 in the three-day tournament.

Sarah Hoffman, a Michigan native who has played on the LPGA Tour, won the tournament in a playoff against Elise Moberly and Samantha Troyanovich.

TSU has three players on preseason All-America team

Three Tennessee State football players were named to the STATS FCS preseason All-America football teams.

Senior kicker Lane Clark made the first team, senior defensive end Ebo Ogundeko made the second team and senior receiver Patrick Smith made the third team.

Clark was one of three players in all levels of NCAA football to kick at least four field goals of over 50 yards in 2016.

Ex-MBA standout named golf coach at Harding Academy

Former Montgomery Bell Academy basketball and golf standout Carter Henderson is the new boys and girls golf coach at Harding Academy Middle School on Windsor Avenue.

Henderson also played golf at MTSU and Virginia.

He won the James H. Fyke Municipal Amateur Championship in 2005 and 2007, qualified for the U.S. Amateur twice and holds the competitive scoring record (63) at Harpeth Hills along with the late PGA Tour pro Calvin Peete.

Longtime Montgomery Central football coach dies

Montgomery Central's first football coach, Phil Horsey, died on July 27. He was 76 and had battled bladder cancer.

Horsey, who also coached track, started the Montgomery Central football program in 1971. The football stadium at Montgomery Central was named in honor of Horsey, who retired in 1987.

Personett wins state Players Championship again

McCabe Golf Course pro Loren Personett won the PGA Tennessee Section Players Championship at Foxland Harbor Golf & Country Club in Gallatin with a 9-under par 135.

Personett also won the tournament in 2012, finished second in 2015 and tied for third in 2013.

James Chapman was second (7-under par 137) and 2016 champion Casey Flenniken tied for third with Golf Club of Tennessee assistant pro Alex Cox (6-under par 138).

Nick Garretson of Franklin won the regular amateur title and Buzz Fly won the senior amateur title.

If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

Sports on Nashville TV

The top five local ratings for sporting events from July 24-30:

1. NASCAR: Pocono 400 4.1

2. PGA: Canadian Open (final round) 2.7

3. NASCAR: Xfinity Iowa 250 2.1

4. PGA: Canadian Open (third round) 1.5

5. PGA: Senior Open (final round) 1.4

Each rating point is equal to 10,116 Nashville homes.

Source: Mark Binda, WTVF-5 programming & research director