After spending 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa, Nick Saban, one of college football’s all-time great coaches, won seven national championships, including six of those crowns, and transformed Alabama back into a national powerhouse. On Wednesday, Saban announced his retirement.
“For Terry and me, the University of Alabama has been a very special place,” Saban stated in a statement. “We have cherished every second of our 17 years as Alabama’s head coaches and our integration into the Tuscaloosa community. It matters more than simply how many games we win and lose; it matters more about our legacy and method of operation. We always made an effort to do things correctly. Assisting players in adding greater value for the future has always been the aim.
“Hopefully, we have done that, and we will always consider Alabama our home.”
After 17 seasons at Alabama, 72-year-old Nick Saban recently concluded his career there with a Rose Bowl defeat to eventual national champion Michigan. His 201 victories tied him with Georgia’s Vince Dooley for the second-highest total at one institution in SEC history, only surpassed by Bear Bryant’s 232 victories over his 25 seasons at Alabama.
Alabama to dynastic heights under Bryant, taking home six national crowns and 13 SEC championships. With nine conference titles and six more national titles, Saban brought the Crimson Tide back to those pinnacles.
Greg Byrne, athletic director at Alabama, stated, “Nick Saban is one of the greatest coaches of all time, in any sport.” He is the epitome of a leader, mentor, and coach, and his influence extends well beyond the football field. Even if his tenure as our coach is over, his influence will never fade. What a privilege it has been for us to watch one of the greatest do it ever in person.”
Sources told ESPN’s Chris Low that Saban insisted on informing his players of his retirement ahead of time, and he did so on Wednesday during a meeting at 5 p.m. ET. A regular team meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, but due to inclement weather, some players were unable to make it. As a result, the meeting was rescheduled for Wednesday. Saban returned to Tuscaloosa on Monday after spending the holiday weekend at their Florida home with his wife Terry.
For around fifteen minutes, Saban told the players and staff in the team room that he was retiring. Next he said that Byrne wished to speak with them. While Byrne was speaking, Saban left the room and spoke with his staff.
Almost everyone in the programme was taken aback by Saban’s declaration and its timing. One hour before he announced his retirement to his team, he was conducting Zoom interviews with prospective assistant coaches. After deciding to resign, he had also conducted interviews with certain applicants on Tuesday, and reports said he didn’t want to go further in that direction.
During the meeting on Wednesday, Saban expressed his gratitude to his players for their support and assured them that he had given his choice careful consideration. However, he informed his players that the recruiting calendar was being extended, the transfer portal and tampering have altered in college football, and NIL is now being utilised as a front for bidding on transfers and high school players.
Low was informed by sources that Saban was becoming more and more irritated with “what college football had become.” The only thing that seems to important these days, despite his emphasis on teamwork, player development, and winning in the NIL, is who can score the most points and land the richest deal.”
Saban never had a losing season in his 28 years as a college head coach, a record that featured seven national championships, 12 conference titles (11 SEC, 1 MAC), and 19 bowl game victories. His two poorest seasons at Michigan State (finishing.500) came in 1996 and 1998.
