Photo by Gene Gallin
College football changes all the time. It’s like a game where the rules and players keep switching up. Nick Saban started as a small guy playing defense in West Virginia. He worked hard and became the best coach ever. He made the Alabama team really, really good.
But, he quit coaching not too long ago.
Nick Saban’s story is like a movie with lots of twists. He played football, then coached five different teams, and even worked in Cleveland. After all that, he decided to stop coaching. He’s super old for a football coach, in his 70s, and football today is mostly for younger folks. Plus, the rules are tough. Saban won his last big trophy in 2020, but he didn’t retire right after a big win.
His wife, Terry Saban, asked him a big question. She wondered why they were still in the football world when players seemed to care more about money than the game. It wasn’t the only reason he retired, but it sure made him think.
Nick Saban said his wife, Terry, came to him before his retirement and told him, “Why are we doing this?" She told him that the players now only care about how much money they are making.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) March 12, 2024
Now, Saban’s going to be on TV, talking about football games on ESPN’s College GameDay.
NIL, which is about paying college athletes, was a big deal for Saban. He’s stepping away from coaching because of it.
Saban had his own ideas about NIL. He thought it should be a reward for players who stay in school and play well. But now, it’s like a big competition to see who can pay the most to get the best players. It’s all out in the open now.
I always thought Saban was pretty smart about the whole NIL thing. He and his wife might not see eye to eye on it, but that’s okay. We all knew he wouldn’t coach forever. Some coaches leave for the NFL because of the stress of recruiting or because they don’t like the college rules.
Recruiting at Alabama isn’t the same anymore. I remember when going to Alabama meant you could become a pro player. My school, Georgia, wasn’t as good back then. But now, Georgia’s doing great, and things like money and fancy cars are making it harder for Alabama.
It’s cool that Saban stayed in college football for so long. We got to see someone really amazing at what they do.
