Nick Saban

Nick Saban said on The Pivot Podcast that if he had to choose today, he'd prefer to coach in the NFL over college football because of the sport's changing landscape.

"It was—I love coaching pro ball," Saban said. "I mean, and if I was going to coach today based on circumstances in college and in the NFL, I would coach in the NFL because all those things in college have changed.

"The whole idea of what college used to be is not there anymore. I mean, it used to be you went to college to develop value for your future. Now, people are going to college to see how much money they can make.

"And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but you change the whole dynamic of the importance of getting an education, making good decisions and choices about what you do and what you don't do to create value for your future. You change that whole dynamic and the idea that these guys are free agents twice a year and they can just go wherever they want."

College sports have changed quite a bit since NCAA implemented name, image and likeness policies (NIL) in June 2021. The transfer portal has become an oft-used tool after student-athletes no longer had to sit a year after switching schools beginning in 2021. At first, it was just one-time transfers, but now multi-time transfer no longer have to wait either.

The feelings Saban expressed on the podcast have bubbled to the surface recently, with ESPN's Chris Low providing some insight in March 2024.

According to Low, Saban spoke with Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne after the 2022 season about the possibility of leaving.

"Greg, this is getting more and more difficult on me," Saban told Byrne, per Low. "I'm not ready to do it now, but we're going to have to start evaluating this more on a year-to-year basis."

One year later, Saban was gone, telling Low:

"I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?

"Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field.

"So I'm saying to myself, 'Maybe this doesn't work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it's all about how much money can I make as a college player?' I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years."

The 73-year-old Saban has enjoyed a lengthy and phenomenal five-decade coaching career that includes a 292-71-1 collegiate record at Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama. He won seven national titles—one with LSU and six at Alabama.

It appeared that Saban could have had something left in the tank in the pre-NIL era, but the changing landscape was perhaps the final straw.

In another life, Saban is perhaps a longtime NFL coach then. He does have some experience in the pros, first with the Cleveland Browns as their defensive coordinator from 1991-1994 under Bill Belichick and then later as the Miami Dolphins' head coach from 2005-2006.

He'll forever be a legend for his time in college, though, particularly in Alabama, which went 201-29 under his watch.

Nick Saban believes the mentality of players has dramatically changed in college football in the age of NIL and the transfer portal.

The legendary former head coach appeared on The Pivot Podcast Tuesday and spoke on that topic (49:25 mark):

The whole idea of what college used to be is not there anymore. I mean, it used to be you went to college to develop value for your future. Now, people are going to college to see how much money they can make. And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but you change the whole dynamic of the importance of getting an education, making good decisions and choices about what you do and what you don't do to create value for your future. You change that whole dynamic and the idea that these guys are free agents twice a year and they can just go wherever they want.

I mean, I got NFL coaches calling me complaining about these guys [that] have no ability to sustain and persevere and overcome adversity because they never had to do it. They just pack up and leave as soon as something doesn't go their way. That's what I always enjoyed about college developing those things that help guys be successful.

Saban noted that if he was coaching today he would seek a job in the NFL given the changing college landscape. It almost assuredly contributed to Saban retiring from Alabama after the 2023 season. At the time of his retirement last January, ESPN's Chris Low reported that sources said the legendary head coach disliked "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."

The college game has long been a profession for coaches like Saban and the sport's administrators and sponsors, and it was only a matter of time before the players justifiably shared in those massive profits as well.

That has changed the dynamics in the sport, however, and Saban clearly isn't a fan.

Following Ohio State's national championship win over Notre Dame on Monday night, one legendary head coach said he believes the team wouldn't have managed to reach this point without facing some adversity.

During an appearance on The Pivot Podcast, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban said he feels that the Buckeyes' 13-10 loss to Michigan in the final week of the regular season helped give them the fuel they needed for their run through the College Football Playoff.

"We won 19 games in a row twice at Alabama. And both times we lost to a team that wasn't as good as us. And it was because we could not deal with success. Starts to affect your preparation, your habits in practice. And those things start showing up in the game. And then you get exposed, and you get beat. So, I sometimes say, 'You need to lose,'" Saban explained.

"Like, I think the best thing that ever happened to Ohio State is getting beat by Michigan. Because they got criticized so much for that, and everybody was humiliated. And they stepped up their game since then and they played really, really good. But if they won that game, would they have that same sort of edge to them?"

Michigan was unranked when it upset Ohio State, which was ranked No. 2 in the nation at the time. The loss dropped the Buckeyes to the No. 8 spot in the CFP.

Still, Ohio State ran through its competition, topping the 40-point mark in wins over No. 9 Tennessee and No. 1 Oregon before earning double-digit victories over No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Notre Dame.

The loss to the Wolverines undoubtedly didn't sit well with the Buckeyes, but they probably wouldn't mind doing it again if it results in another national championship.

Nick Saban "never thought" of himself as the greatest coach in college football history as he added national championship after national championship to his resume.

Channing Crowder, co-host for the Pivot Podcast, asked Saban in an episode released Tuesday when he realized he was the GOAT of college coaches or at least one of the greats.

"You know, I never thought of it that way," Saban responded. "When I was coaching, it was almost like when you're a player. The next season (is) coming and you know you gotta go perform and be the best that you can be so you can keep your job. Well, I never worried about keeping my job, but I did have this sort of pride and performance that every year was like taking a new job."

Now that he's retired, the 73-year-old added he still doesn't look at himself as a GOAT in the coaching profession, passing some of the credit for his success to his coaching staffs.

A refusal to rest on his laurels helps to explain why Saban won seven national titles and had 297 wins along with an .806 winning percentage during his stops at Alabama, LSU, Michigan State and Toledo.

Especially in college sports, there's little time to sit and reflect on your achievements. Once the season ends, a lot of your best players leave and you have to find replacements who will be just as good, if not better.

And it doesn't take long for the aura around a legendary head coach to puncture.

Florida State went 12-0 and was a national champion in 1999. The Seminoles went on to have two 10-win seasons in Bobby Bowden's last 10 years at the helm. Penn State had a Top-10 finish in the AP poll three times in Joe Paterno's final 12 seasons.

Even Saban seemingly wasn't immune from this. When he left, Alabama was no longer the unstoppable machine it had been earlier in his tenure.

The Crimson Tide's 9-4 record in 2024 points to how the Hall of Famer got out while the getting was good.

Former Alabama head coach and current ESPN analyst Nick Saban offered an impassioned defense of Ohio State head coach Ryan Day on Monday.

"I think it is absolutely ridiculous that Ryan Day has been criticized the way he has."

Nick Saban sounds off on the Ohio State HC's critics 😳 pic.twitter.com/aLrLCKHCpY

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) January 20, 2025

"Having been a coach—having coached in the state and lived in the state for 12 or 14 years—I'm telling you, when the fans are negative and the media gets negative, it affects so many things," he said on College GameDay. "You've got to give the guy credit, he built the roster. He's built the roster for three years, and it's gotten better. His coaches have made the players better. And they made a lot of improvement and they've overcome adversity, especially in the Michigan game. So we should be giving the guy credit."

Saban, for the record, spent a number of years in Ohio as a coach. He started his coaching career at Kent State as a graduate assistant (1973-74) and linebackers coach (1975-76), spent two seasons at Ohio State as the secondary coach (1980-81), was the head coach at Toledo in 1990 and was the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns between 1991-94.

His most famous stops, of course, came as the head coach at Michigan State, LSU, the Miami Dolphins and Alabama.

Given his experience, he has a unique perspective into the profession, so a bit of sympathy for Day isn't surprising, especially after the Ohio State head coach was the subject of enormous critique following the Buckeyes' 13-10 loss against the Wolverines in late November. That gave Ohio State a second loss on the season, kept the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten Championship Game and was Day's fourth loss to Michigan in his five meetings.

Those ready to see him fired pointed out his struggles against the school's most hated rival and an inability to win a national championship despite a consistent abundance of talent. Those who continued to defend him noted that he brought the star players aboard in the first place and suggested that the championship-or-bust mentality at Ohio State was both unrealistic and toxic.

Day is 69-10 overall as Ohio State's head coach and has since led the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff Championship Game against Notre Dame, silencing his critics for the time being. Saban, for one, believes Day has earned far more respect than he's often received in Columbus.

Two era-defining coaches, an electrifying quarterback and an NFL legend at defensive end headline the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame class that was announced Wednesday.

The College Football Hall of Fame shared the full list of inductees that includes Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Michael Vick and Michael Strahan:

The College Football Hall of Fame proudly congratulates the Players and Coaches selected to the 2025 Class! We can’t wait to welcome you to your forever home this December. 🏆 https://t.co/hv54iTbUJ5 #CFBHALL #CollegeFootball #HallofFame #Atlanta pic.twitter.com/67OLcIkTr1

— College Football Hall of Fame (@cfbhall) January 15, 2025

There are several notable names on this list that are instantly recognizable to college football fans, such as Michael Huff, Montee Ball, Haloti Ngata and Steve Slaton.

Yet Saban and Meyer stand out as two of the greatest coaches in college football history.

Saban retired after the 2023 season as a seven-time champion who had become the face of the sport during a dominant run at Alabama. He won six titles with the Crimson Tide and another with LSU, although he started his head coaching career at Toledo in 1990.

He was also the head coach at Michigan State for five years before he took over at LSU in 2000. He led the Tigers for five seasons during a tenure that included the national championship, left to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and then returned to college in 2007 to take over Alabama for a legendary 17-year span that put the program on top of the sport.

Saban went 206-29 with the Crimson Tide and won six national championships.

He also battled with Meyer when the latter was at Florida during his own memorable career.

Only Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy have higher winning percentages in college football history than Meyer's .854 mark, and they coached in a different era of the sport with far fewer demands and elite programs.

It is a testament to Meyer's overall consistency that he finished with such a winning percentage across four different stops at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State during a career that also included three national championships and some of the sport's most memorable players in Tim Tebow and others.

Meyer is best remembered for his time at Florida where he won two national titles in six years from 2005 to 2010 and his time at Ohio State where he won a national championship in 2014, went an astounding 83-9 during seven seasons and went a perfect 7-0 against rival Michigan.

As for Vick, he fell just short of a national title during his time at Virginia Tech. He led the Hokies to the national championship game but lost to Florida State to end the 1999 season that also saw him with the Big East Offensive Player of the Year.

Following his legendary tenure as Alabama's head coach, Nick Saban will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class.

A Legacy of Excellence🏆

Congratulations, Coach Nick Saban, on your induction into the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame!#RollTide pic.twitter.com/0LlhizqX31

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) January 10, 2025

Saban, who now serves as a college football analyst for ESPN, was surprised with the news during an appearance on College GameDay.

Nick Saban will be joining the College Football Hall of Fame‼️

Well-deserved 👏 pic.twitter.com/fCWcpYWkNI

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) January 10, 2025

Saban retired at the end of the 2023 season after spending 17 years at Alabama, winning six national championships with the Crimson Tide.

The 73-year-old also won a seventh national title with LSU in 2003. He finished with an overall record of 297-71-1 as a college head coach with Alabama, LSU, Michigan State and Toledo.

"Thank you so much but anytime anything like this happens, it's because you had a lot of great people in your organization," Saban said on College GameDay after the news was revealed. "A lot of great players, a lot of great coaches, lot of support staff and they made a great team. I was happy to drive the bus but we had some great people on it, so thank you so much."

He opened his head coaching career with Toledo in 1990, leading the team to a 9-2 record before joining the NFL to become the Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator. Saban stayed in the role for four years before returning to the college level, taking over as head coach of Michigan State from 1995-99 until starting at LSU in 2000.

He returned to the NFL for two years as the Miami Dolphins head coach in 2005 and 2006 before beginning his impressive tenure at Tuscaloosa. After compiling a modest 7-6 record during Saban's first year with the Tide, they reached double-digit win totals in every subsequent season that he spent with the program.

He'll now be part of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame class, which will be officially inducted on Dec. 9.

The rest of the 2025 class will be announced on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban is reveling in the relative freedom he's afforded in his new media career.

Reflecting on his best moments from the last year, Saban said Wednesday on College GameDay his favorite was "calling bulls--t" on Georgia's Kirby Smart and Texas' Steve Sarkisian with their vague comments ahead of their rematch in the SEC title game.

Asked by ESPN's Rece Davis about what adjustments, if any, they planned for their second meeting, Smart and Sarkisian offered vague responses and said that actually making too many adjustments can backfire. Saban, without missing a beat, countered that "I think they're both bullsh--ting us."

Coach Saban called his two former coaches out 🤣🤣#CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/hAVZ1rXLeC

— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) December 7, 2024

When he was coaching at Alabama, Saban went out of his way to say anything that might provide a rival school any fodder. He often lamented the "rat poison" that could motivate an opposing team.

Now, the 73-year-old can be much more liberal with his true opinions or engage in some playful banter with two coaches who used to work on his staff at Alabama.

Not all head coaches are cut out to succeed in broadcasting. In Saban's case, he made a seamless transition to College GameDay. He has provided insightful analysis along with some lighthearted moments that showcase a personability he has long hidden.

A lot of college football fans are probably hoping the legendary coach would've retired a lot sooner.

It has been a time of upheaval in college football the past few years, and Penn State head coach James Franklin would like a legend of the sport to help stabilize everything.

Franklin called former Alabama head coach Nick Saban "the obvious choice" to be the commissioner of college football.

"It's one of these things that we can't just keep talking about that this is a challenge and a problem in college football," he said. "We've gotta come up with some solutions. We've been talking about this for a while, and a lot of different people have brought it up. I'm one of the people who feel very very strongly that we need a commissioner of college football. We need somebody that's waking up every single morning and going to bed every single night thinking about what's in the best interest of college football."

2/2@PennStateFball @SSN_PennState @Fiesta_Bowl @HERO_SportsCFB pic.twitter.com/hNh0XQBLSB

— Colton Pool (@CPoolReporter) December 29, 2024

Just in the past handful of years alone, college football has seen drastic conference realignment, the expansion of the College Football Playoff from four teams to 12, the implementation of looser transfer rules with the portal, and opportunities for athletes to earn more money through name, image and likeness.

The timing of the calendar has also come under scrutiny, as the early signing period for high school prospects and the opening of the December transfer portal all happen in between the end of the regular season and the start of the CFP and bowl games.

That means coaches and programs are juggling preparing for important playoff games, recruiting high school prospects, re-recruiting their own rosters to avoid players entering the portal and looking into the portal for potential outside additions all at the same time.

While there have certainly been positives with players having more freedom to find better situations via transfers and earning the chance to make money, so many significant changes have also created something of a chaotic environment that, as Franklin mentioned, is difficult to navigate.

Franklin also advocated for eliminating conference championship games and having every league play the same amount of conference games to create a situation where it is easier for the CFP selection committee to compare resumes in an "apples to apples" way in the expanded playoff era.

Yet it is difficult to envision conference championship games being taken away given the money and attention they draw.

"If every decision we make is based on money, then we're heading in the wrong direction," Franklin said.

As for Saban, he was the king of the sport when he coached at Alabama. His program was the gold standard during his tenure that included six national championships, and his retirement after the 2023 campaign sent shockwaves throughout the college football community.

The 73-year-old spent this past season working on ESPN's College GameDay pregame show and might not want the additional responsibilities that would come with being the college football commissioner. Franklin even joked that Saban would call him following these comments and tell him to stop.

For now, there remains no commissioner in college football. But some of the changes are benefiting Franklin's Penn State squad, which is in the expanded 12-team CFP field and three wins away from a national title even though it wouldn't have made a four-team field.

Nick Saban think that Ohio State fans have taken the rivalry with Michigan way, way too far.

The former Alabama head coach appeared on the Pat McAfee Show and didn't make himself many friends in Columbus with that commentary:

"You know, we've kind of gotten on their, sort of, fans a little bit. But, you know, these Ohio State fans? You know, they've got a psychotic obsession with Michigan and they need to go get therapy or something to try to get it fixed," Saban said. "They have a chance to win the national championship and here you are, you know, and nobody's excited about their opportunity to play because they, you know, lost to Michigan, which was a tough game and they lost the game, probably, by some of the mistakes that they made. Those are correctable things."

"Ohio State has a chance to win the National Championship..

This team has it all and they have a chance to continue to prove everybody wrong"

Coach Saban #PMSLive https://t.co/g6GaDz0Gwf pic.twitter.com/voZDhyI2sM

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 27, 2024

It does feel like Ohio State has been defined in the Ryan Day era by two negative points of emphasis: A 1-4 record against the Wolverines and an inability to win a national championship despite consistently fielding highly talented rosters.

That undercuts a few other major positives during the Day era, however. One, it's Day and his staff who keep bringing the talent to Columbus. Two, the Buckeyes have won a pair of Big Ten titles in Day's six seasons (though none in the past four years). And three, he's led Ohio State to the playoffs four times in six years.

It is fair for Ohio State fans to have major expectations for Day and the Buckeyes, and if they don't feel the head coach is capable of taking the team over the top, grumblings will naturally follow. But there also seems to be the expectation that if Ohio State doesn't both beat Michigan and win a national championship, the season was a failure, and that simply isn't a realistic position to take.

This year's loss to a 7-5 Michigan team was bad, no doubt, costing them a shot at a Big Ten title and a far better seed in the College Football Playoff. Ohio State now has to face Oregon in the quarterfinals, a team the Buckeyes already lost to in the regular season. That's a rough draw.

The Buckeyes have the talent to earn their revenge. But even if they do, will it be enough for Ohio State fans to forgive the Michigan loss?

Probably not. And that, at least according to Saban, is one heaping dose of delusion.