Nick Saban is blasting reports that the changes in college football, including NIL deals, are the reason he is walking away from coaching.
ESPN’s Chris Low reported Saban grown frustrated with “what college football had turned into. He’s all about team and building a team and developing players, and now the only thing that seems to matter is who can get what in the NIL and who can get the biggest deal.”
“Don’t make it about that. It’s not about that,” Saban said. “To me, if you choose to coach, you don’t need to be complaining about all that stuff. You need to adjust to it and adapt to it and do the best you can under the circumstances and not complain about it.”
During Saban’s time at Alabama, he won six national championships. He also won a title during a stint at Louisiana State University, etching his name and legacy as one of the greatest coaches in football history.
Nick Saban is retiring, sources tell ESPN. He won six national titles at Alabama.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) January 10, 2024
“The University of Alabama has been a very special place to Terry and me,” Saban said in a statement. “We have enjoyed every minute of our 17 years being the head coach at Alabama as well as becoming a part of the Tuscaloosa community. It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it’s about the legacy and how we went about it. We always tried to do it the right way. The goal was always to help players create more value for their future, be the best player they could be and be more successful in life because they were part of the program.
“Hopefully, we have done that, and we will always consider Alabama our home.”
“Simply put, Nick Saban is one of the greatest coaches of all time, in any sport,” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said. “He is the consummate coach, mentor and leader, and his impact is felt far beyond the football field. … . While his time as our coach may have come to an end, his legacy will live on forever. What an honor it has been for us to have a front-row seat to one of the best to ever do it.”
Saban alerted his players of his decision in a meeting on Wednesday. He thanked his team and decided to leave the game now with the changes to college football, including the transfer portal, NIL, extension of recruiting calendar, and more.
In addition to Saban’s national titles, he delivered 13 SEC championships to the Crimson Tide.
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