Saban Retiring. Was one heck of a run.

Donate To GopherHole


SHGopher said:
www.espn.com

Alabama's Saban retiring after legendary career

Nick Saban, one of the greatest college football coaches of all time who won seven national titles, six of them at Alabama, has announced his retirement.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Sources told Low that Saban had grown increasingly frustrated with "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."
Click to expand...
So he’s just pissy he doesn’t get the players he wants all the time and doesn’t like how other teams caught up to him with the transfer portal. Don’t feel a bit bad for him (don’t think anyone really does either) and not sad to see him go. He’s just mad he doesn’t get to dominate anymore.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I'm not sure why you'd leave Oregon or Texas to go to Alabama at this point. If you're Lanning or Sark, you're in a great situation already. You go to Bama, your expectations will be extremely high and immediate. Everything you do will be scrutinized and compared to Saban.
Click to expand...
The way these guys are wired I don't think high expectations will scare them off. It's also arguably the premier job in all of college football.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I'm not sure why you'd leave Oregon or Texas to go to Alabama at this point. If you're Lanning or Sark, you're in a great situation already. You go to Bama, your expectations will be extremely high and immediate. Everything you do will be scrutinized and compared to Saban.
Click to expand...

I can see Lanning taking it if he's hugely ambitious. Oregon has Knight money but really no other advantages. In contrast, Texas has every advantage in the book and Sark can make his own way there without replacing a legend.

But what do I know... It will be interesting.
 


50PoundHead said:
I'm old and I've seen a lot of great coaches, but I agree he's the best of this era by far and puts up a great resume against coaches from earlier eras. What I always liked about him is that he was intense without being a big-time dick.
Click to expand...
He seemed like he was getting less intense in the interviews I saw. He just seemed to be content even when they lost. It seemed like he was losing his fire. He sounded more like a disapproving grandpa than the more typical, fire breathing, head coach, which is what I remember of his younger years. I liked him a lot more as he got older. Ha!

It will be super fun to hear him on TV sports shows giving his analysis. It seems likely he'll do more of that.
 



Word said:
So one of the guys that is trying to change college football the most drastically is saying we should look in the mirror about what caused Saban to retire? I don't think Prime understands.
Click to expand...

It's kind of like a libertarian that lives in a high tax state, you're still going to pay taxes and leverage any benefits that your taxes paid for to the best of your ability, but you still believe there is a better way. You shoot for success in the world that exists.

I don't think Deon is changing football, he's using the system that was already in place (portal and money) to get players to Colorado. He'd leverage his notoriety no matter what system exists.
 



Word said:
So one of the guys that is trying to change college football the most drastically is saying we should look in the mirror about what caused Saban to retire? I don't think Prime understands.
Click to expand...
I think all Prime "understands" is his name wasn't out there for a few days.
 

Panthadad2 said:
It's kind of like a libertarian that lives in a high tax state, you're still going to pay taxes and leverage any benefits that your taxes paid for to the best of your ability, but you still believe there is a better way. You shoot for success in the world that exists.

I don't think Deon is changing football, he's using the system that was already in place (portal and money) to get players to Colorado. He'd leverage his notoriety no matter what system exists.
Click to expand...
Beat me too it. Sanders isn't responsible for the change but he is very willing to try and use the current setup to his advantage if he can.

Sanders point is valid though as I would not doubt all the current crap going on in college football made it easier for Saban to decide to hang up the whistle. Wouldn't surprise me to see a lot of the old guard either get out of coaching or move to less stressful jobs.

On a side note I see Lanning has come out and said he isn't going anywhere. He would be nuts to leave Oregon but nobody would have been shocked if he had.
 

SHGopher said:
www.espn.com

Alabama's Saban retiring after legendary career

Nick Saban, one of the greatest college football coaches of all time who won seven national titles, six of them at Alabama, has announced his retirement.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Sources told Low that Saban had grown increasingly frustrated with "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."
Click to expand...

I definitely get his perspective on the changing landscape of college football. I think Saban will be the last of his kind in terms of longevity and why not get out now when you're 72 and smell the roses a bit. At this point, he has more money than he'll ever need.

Looking at what coaches are asked to do these days where this it's 365 days a yr job now (Maybe a few weeks off) and guys are going to get burned out. You now need to be a coach, spokesperson, fundraiser, recruiter, and negotiator (NIL) for current and prospective portal players. So, if you're like PJ with the salaries they now see, why would you need to be coaching in your 60s and not to mention 70s.
 




Lanning has said no to Alabama.

Bill King had a guest on this morning who said Lanning was the first choice. DeBoer at Washington is probably going to be the second choice.
 

GophersInIowa said:
Click to expand...
Awesome statement from Lanning. With the money coaches are making now they really don't have to "chase" the next job or the big payday. Yes they might be able to make more at some places but there are tradeoffs that come with that extra money.

He has a great thing in Oregon. He would have been nuts to leave.
 

Some guy said:
Not sure who the hot board is:
Lanning, Dabo, DeBoer, Sark, lane Kiffin all with massive pay increasing incoming.
Click to expand...
I think they chase these 5 and get none of them.
So the real question is who is candidate 6. Because that’s who probably gets the job.
 

Some guy said:
I think they chase these 5 and get none of them.
So the real question is who is candidate 6. Because that’s who probably gets the job.
Click to expand...
I would think they could get one of those 5.
 


SeaBee_Gopher said:
He seemed like he was getting less intense in the interviews I saw. He just seemed to be content even when they lost. It seemed like he was losing his fire. He sounded more like a disapproving grandpa than the more typical, fire breathing, head coach, which is what I remember of his younger years. I liked him a lot more as he got older. Ha!

It will be super fun to hear him on TV sports shows giving his analysis. It seems likely he'll do more of that.
Click to expand...
Would be a great replacement for Lee Corso. Although Saban is 72, so that's pretty old. I hope he just lives high on the hog the rest of the way as he has earned.
 

Sparlimb said:
Would be a great replacement for Lee Corso. Although Saban is 72, so that's pretty old. I hope he just lives high on the hog the rest of the way as he has earned.
Click to expand...
Ha. Don't see Nick putting the mascot head on! Other than that, he would actually add something to the show.
 


He had more first round picks than losses at Alabama and every player who played there four years was on a championship team - will never be replicated again 🐐
 
Last edited:

So far it appears they’ve been turned down by:
Sark
Norvell
Lanning
 


GophersInIowa said:
Click to expand...
There's a lot to unpack there. I want to touch on something that isn't about the player(s):

Makes sense / is pretty mature to know that you should move on when as a leader when you feel your system or even personality isn't synced with the rest of the folks you lead.

I know a lot of leaders who just by their nature of being in that position force it even though they don't get what is going on / can't relate to the folks they're working with. They seem to feel that simply holding the position of "leader" in some way is some magic wand. They act like authority = leadership, but that's not leadership.
 

Think we are going to see more and more veteran college coaches get out unless the powers that be (and is that the universities, the leagues, congress, the NCAA) get a handle on the whole NIL, transfer situation.
 


TNGophfan said:
Think we are going to see more and more veteran college coaches get out unless the powers that be (and is that the universities, the leagues, congress, the NCAA) get a handle on the whole NIL, transfer situation.
Click to expand...
Arguably "veteran coaches" are the folks who ... do retire ... almost by definition.

I think that's going to happen / has regardless ;)

It has always been a workaholic type job with a big upside if you can make it to the big leagues. At that point you don't even "need" to work. PJ shouldn't "need" to keep working, but these jobs appeal to those types of guys.

Granted I get your more general point.
 


You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom