BREAKING NEWS – It’s official. University of Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban is retiring. Looks like ESPN got the break. Photo by Tom Campbell, for The Locust Fork News-Journal, the precursor to Newamericanjournal.net. Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban winks at photographer Tom Campbell at Heisman Trophy awards in 2009: A Nick Saban Hoodoo Wink?: Copyright Glynn Wilson, Locust Fork Publishing, LLC, DBA NewAmericanJournal.Net

By Glynn Wilson –

WASHINGTON, D.C. — It’s a sad day in Alabama and across the land, except in Auburnland. The god of the football religion in these parts Nick Saban has apparently made the decision to retire, according to leaks from his inner circle to ESPN and other news sources.

Nick Saban’s statue beside Bryant Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama: Glynn Wilson

It will be the end of another era as the world turns and changes, right before our very eyes. Auburn fans and others in the SEC may not be so sad to see Saban go.

Nick Saban, considered among the greatest college football coaches of all time who won seven national titles, six of them at Alabama, has informed the Crimson Tide that he is retiring, sources told ESPN’s Chris Low on Wednesday.

ESPN – Sources: Alabama coach Nick Saban retiring with 7 national titles

Saban, 72, just completed his 17th season at Alabama, which ended in a loss to eventual national champion Michigan in the Rose Bowl. In 17 seasons, he won 201 games — tied with Vince Dooley (Georgia) for the second-most wins at a single school in SEC history, behind only Bear Bryant, who won 232 games in his 25 seasons with Alabama.

In his 28 years as a college head coach — a career that included seven national championships, 12 conference titles (11 SEC, 1 MAC) and 19 bowl game wins — Saban never had a losing season. His worst seasons were in 1996 and 1998 at Michigan State (finished .500).

He made a two-year foray into the NFL with the Miami Dolphins before returning to college football to revive one of college football’s most storied programs, which hadn’t won a national title in 15 years. He won more games in 17 seasons at Alabama (201) than the Crimson Tide won in the 24 seasons between Bryant’s retirement and Saban’s hiring (171).

Saban is 292-71-1 as a college head coach, ranking him sixth all-time in the FBS in wins, and 12th in NCAA college football history regardless of division. His career included stops at Toledo, Michigan State and LSU, where he also won a national title. But Alabama is where he cemented his status as one of college football’s greatest coaches.

Alabama has won at least 10 games in 16 straight seasons under Saban, the longest streak by any program in the AP Poll era (since 1936). This despite playing 107 games against AP-ranked teams during Saban’s tenure, 14 more than any other program.

He might have lasted just two season in the NFL, but he continued to coach NFL talent since coming to Alabama. The Crimson Tide had three players selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, which included the Tide’s first No. 1 overall pick in the Common Draft era (since 1967) in Bryce Young. Saban has had 49 players selected in the first round — including 44 at Alabama — the most of any coach in the Common Draft era.

Saban’s seven BCS/CFP national championship wins since 1998 are more than double the amount of any other head coach. Urban Meyer is next with three, followed by Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney with two each.

The Crimson Tide reached the College Football Playoff in eight of the 10 seasons in the CFP era.

Saban didn’t sound like a coach looking to give up the job any time soon, telling ESPN in November, “I’ve always said that if you’re thinking about retirement, you’re probably already retired, and I’m not there yet.”

Alabama’s odds to win next season’s national championship moved from 6-1 to 8-1 at ESPN BET after Saban’s retirement was reported. The Crimson Tide have the third-shortest odds, behind Georgia and Ohio State.

From The Athletic.

By Bruce Feldman, Chris Vannini and Kennington Smith III

Nick Saban is retiring as the coach of Alabama’s football team after 17 seasons with the program, ending a storied partnership that saw Saban return the Crimson Tide to the top of college football with six national titles in a 12-year span, multiple sources briefed on the decision confirmed. ESPN first reported the news.

Saban, 72, is the only coach to win seven national titles in the poll era of college football — with one title at LSU to go with the six at Alabama. He led the Crimson Tide to winning seasons every year since 2008 and posted a 16-7 bowl record with the program.

Saban’s latest Alabama team went 12-2 and finished the 2023 season with a 27-20 overtime loss to Michigan — the eventual national champions — in the Rose Bowl.

Before joining Alabama in 2007, Saban served as head coach for the Miami Dolphins (2005-06), LSU (2000-04), Michigan State (1995-99) and Toledo (1990). He has a 292-71-1 record at the collegiate level, with five wins vacated by the NCAA. Saban won 11 SEC titles — two at LSU and nine at Alabama — and made bowl appearances every year with the programs.

“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,” he said. “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.”

Statement from Nick Saban on his retirement pic.twitter.com/s7SpTlQrNt

— Nick Kelly (@_NickKelly) January 11, 2024

Related Coverage: The Saban Pledge of Excellence Could Work in Government and Business

Reaction

A message from Miss Terry following the retirement of Nick Saban:

“It has been an incredible run these last 17 years at the University of Alabama and we take with us many amazing memories. We hope that the Saban legacy will be about helping others and making a positive difference in people’s lives as well as the winning tradition on the field. Our Nick’s Kids Foundation will continue to help children, student, and teacher causes in the State of Alabama. The rules for the game of football may change, but the ‘process’ will never go out of style: hard work, discipline, the relentless pursuit of a worthy goal, not cutting corners, and doing things the right way for the sake of constant personal improvement, not for the scoreboard. Alabama will always feel like ‘Sweet Home’ to our family, and we’ll be cheering ‘Roll Tide’!”

A message from Miss Terry following the retirement of Nick Saban:

“It has been an incredible run these last 17 years at the University of Alabama and we take with us many amazing memories. We hope that the Saban legacy will be about helping others and making a positive… pic.twitter.com/7KSph4UGJk

— Sidelines – Bama (@SSN_Alabama) January 11, 2024

Former Senator Doug Jones reacts on Twitter(X).

“Lots of news today, as usual, but for me there is only one story: Nick Saban retiring as head football coach at The University of Alabama. I have been a college football fan as long as I can remember. I have been an avid Bama fan for the same length of time and it is incredible to think that for 41 of those years my team was coached by the two greatest coaches of all time: Bear Bryant and Nick Saban. I frankly did not think I would ever see a greater coach than Bear, but Saban clearly tops them all. And his influence goes far beyond the success in football. He elevated the entire UA community. He elevated the entire state. Well, to be more accurate he and Miss Terry elevated the UA community and state. No one should underestimate Miss Terry and her enormous contributions. The influence of Nick and Terry Saban will be felt for generations. Thank you guys! What a ride!”

Lots of news today, as usual, but for me there is only one story: Nick Saban retiring as head football coach at The University of Alabama. I have been a college football fan as long as I can remember. I have been an avid Bama fan for the same length of time and it is incredible…

— Doug Jones (@DougJones) January 11, 2024

Tom Campbell, my friend for many years and former SGA president in 1981-82, when I covered politics for The Crimson White, was not ready to talk about it when I broke the news to him.

“I can’t talk about it,” he said. “I am in mourning,”

“My quote upon the resignation or firing of his successor is this: ‘He should have known that nobody could follow the GOAT’.”

After he had time to think about it and react, he said: “I am so glad that he left while things are running smoothly. His last gift to the university.”

More to come…

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