Nick Saban, one of college football’s coaching greats, announced Wednesday that he is retiring after 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, ESPN reported. Saban spent 28 years as a college coach at Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995-99), Louisiana State University (2000-04) and Alabama (2007-23), according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). He won seven national championships and turned the University of Alabama back into a national power that included six of those titles. In a statement, Saban said, “The University of Alabama has been a very special place for Terry and I. We have enjoyed every minute of our 17 years as the head coach at Alabama, as well as becoming a part of the Tuscaloosa community.” “It’s not just about how many games we’ve won and lost, it’s about the legacy and how we’ve gone about it. We’ve always tried to do it the right way. It’s always been about helping players create more value for their future.” to be the best player they can be and to be more successful in life because they were part of the program. “Hopefully we’ve been able to do that and we’ll always consider Alabama our home.” The 72-year-old coach completed his 17th season at the school, winning 201 games and tied with Vince Dooley for the second-most wins at a single school in Southeastern Conference (SEC) football history. Under Bear Bryant, Alabama reached dynastic heights, winning 13 SEC championships and six national titles. Saban returned the Crimson Tide to those heights, winning nine conference crowns and six more national championships. “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 influence is felt far beyond the football field.” Now, all eyes are on Byrne, who is looking for a new coach to maintain the team’s top spot in college football. Now he must decide whether to hire a Saban disciple or go outside the traditional coaching tree. According to the Tuscaloosa News, some potential candidates for the position include University of Oregon football coach Dan Lanning, University of Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian and Florida State coach Mike Norvell, among others.
