Nick Saban, the creator of Alabama’s football success, announced his retirement.
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Saban, 72, walks away after 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa.
Legendary head coach won six national championships with Alabama.
Nick Saban, one of college football’s finest coaches, announced his retirement on Wednesday after leading the University of Alabama to six national titles in 17 years.
“The University of Alabama has been a very special place to Terry and me,” Saban stated. “We have enjoyed every minute of our 17 years as Alabama’s head coach, as well as becoming members of the Tuscaloosa community.” It’s not only about how many games we won and lost; it’s also about our legacy and how we did it. We always strived to do things the correct way. The objective was always to assist athletes build more value for their future, and be the greatest.
“Hopefully, we have done that, and we will always consider Alabama our home.”
Saban, 72, joined Alabama in 2007 after a two-year tenure with the Miami Dolphins in the NFL, and he has restored the Crimson Tide programme to its previous glory with national titles in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020.
Prior to that, he guided Louisiana State to a national title in 2003 after previously serving as head coach at Michigan State and the University of Toledo.
Saban is the only coach to have won seven national championships in the AP poll era of college football (since 1936), six with Alabama and one with LSU. The Crimson Tide won at least ten games in 16 consecutive seasons under his leadership, the longest stretch in the poll era.
The five-time Southeastern Conference coach of the year will retire with a 292-71-1 record at the collegiate level, excluding five victories invalidated by the NCAA in 2009 due to rules breaches resulting from illegal payments. The 292 victories rank sixth all-time in the Football Bowl Subdivision, college football’s highest level, and 12th overall.
Saban, known for his sideline scowl and combative demeanour – and for winning – spent two years in the NFL with the Dolphins before returning to college football to restore one of America’s most historic programmes, which had not won a national championship in 15 years. Saban had successful stints at Toledo, Michigan State, and LSU, but Alabama is where he solidified his reputation as one of the game’s finest coaches.
His most recent squad had lots of hardship early on, including a loss to Texas, but recovered with the emergence of quarterback Jalen Milroe to defeat then-No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.
Saban did not sound like a coach eager to leave his position anytime soon after the game. But it wasn’t an awful choice, even without the title.
“This is one of the most amazing seasons in Alabama football history in terms of where this team came from, what they were able to accomplish and what they were able to do, winning the SEC championship, and really, really proud of this group,” the head coach stated.
“I only wish that I could have done more as a coach to aid them.
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