College Football

Ex-Alabama coach Nick Saban sheds light on why he retired

Published Mar. 6, 2024 3:13 p.m. ET

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Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban's retirement announcement in January took the college football and sports world by storm, especially as the Crimson Tide had just reached the College Football Playoff. The future College Football Hall of Famer has now opened up about why he did so.

Saban, who told Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne that the job was "getting more and more difficult" and that the two sides were going to have to assess the situation on a "year-to-year basis" after the 2022 season, expressed that the vibrant nature of college football's transfer portal and NIL dealings were a primary part of his decision to step down.

"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?," Saban told ESPN in an interview published on Wednesday morning. "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."

Saban, 72, cited that people "wanted assurances" he was going to stay for at least "three or four years," which was also difficult for him to do.

As far as last season is concerned, Saban also expressed that he was "disappointed" in Alabama's response to losing to Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinal round in that they responded to defeat too demonstrably. The playoff game saw Alabama take a seven-point lead in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, but then Michigan roared down the field to score a game-tying touchdown that sent the game to overtime. The Wolverines then finished the job and went on to win the National Championship the ensuing week.

Prior to the grueling overtime loss, Alabama went 12-1, highlighted by beating then-No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, the Bulldogs' first loss in two years. The Crimson Tide had rebounded after a Week 2 loss to Texas, running the table to reach the College Football Playoff.

Alabama won six championships under Saban's reign from 2007-23. Furthermore, according to FOX Sports Research, Alabama produced a sport-high 123 NFL players under Saban from the 2008 NFL Draft-on. LSU (112) and Ohio State (104) are second and third over that span.

Prior to building his dynasty in Tuscaloosa, Saban was the head coach of Toledo in 1990, Michigan State from 1995-99 and LSU from 2000-04. He also had stints in the NFL, serving as the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns under Bill Belichick from 1991-94 and the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2005-06.

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In the wake of Saban's departure, Alabama hired former Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer, who helped the Huskies go 14-0 and reach the College Football National Championship last season before losing to Michigan. Washington went a combined 25-3 under DeBoer.

Alabama has lost a bevy of players to the transfer portal this offseason, as defensive back Caleb Downs (Ohio State), wide receiver Isaiah Bond (Texas), center Seth McLaughlin (Ohio State) and quarterback Julian Sayin (Ohio State) left the program. That said, 2023 starting quarterback Jalen Milroe will return for next season.

Saban just felt that it was time to call it a career.

"I'm sitting there looking at the clock, talking to Ms. Terry, and you know you've got a team meeting coming up. I guess I still wasn't 100 percent sure. I thought it was the right time for us," Saban said. "I didn't like how it would impact the program, the players, the coaches, the people in the organization, the university. That part of it was really hard. But it was inevitable that it was going to happen at some point in time, and I didn't want to ride the program down.

"It was just the right time."

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