Nick Saban’s retiring as the University of Alabama football coach, turning a long inevitability into a stark reality and sending shockwaves throughout the college football world. The university confirmed the retirement at 6:39 p.m. CT in a statement with a quote from Saban more than two hours after ESPN reported the news at 4:06 p.m.
It ends arguably the greatest run in college football history where the once famously-nomadic Saban finally planted roots and rebuilt a decaying empire. A 27-20 overtime loss to Michigan in the Rose Bowl semifinal was ultimately Saban’s final act as a college football coach, just over a week before handing the task of replacing him to athletics director Greg Byrne.
reviving a struggling Crimson Tide program — winning 80.6% of his games and six of his seven national titles — Saban placed his name among the all-time greats. That includes Paul “Bear” Bryant, the Alabama coach from six whose national title mark Saban passed in 2020.
Where there’s understandable sadness from Huntsville to Mobile, a collective sigh of relief comes from outside the state border. Since arriving in 2007 from the Miami Dolphins, Saban recalibrated the entire sport. His quick rise — reaching No. 1 in Year 2 and winning the first national title a year later — wreaked havoc on rivals and created unrealistic expectations for other rebuilding powerhouses.
Add it up and Saban’s not just in the same conversation as Bryant, he’s arguably past the legend of another era. His teams maintained a level of consistency unmatched even in Bryant’s prime. After going 7-6 in his first season, Saban teams won no fewer than 10 games for the next 16 years.