On Wednesday afternoon, an epic era came to an end.
Championship era.
dynastic period.
Nick Saban, 72, is retiring after winning a record seven national championships, 12 conference titles and 19 bowl games with two different programs, ESPN first reported. .
He is arguably the greatest college football coach of all time, holding the all-time record as a college head coach at 292-71-1 in 28 seasons.
Saban also spent two years as an NFL head coach, leading the Dolphins to a 15-17 record from 2005-2006.
Besides age, there was no clear indication that Saban was ready for retirement. In November, he told ESPN, “I've always said that if you're thinking about retiring, you're probably already retired, but I'm not retired yet.”
Alabama has the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation heading into next season and has been busy in the transfer portal since the season ended on Jan. 1 in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Saban entered the coaching world in 1973 as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Kent State University, and took his first head coaching job 17 years later at Toledo.
He joined Michigan State in 1995 after serving as the Browns' defensive coordinator for four years.
It wasn't until his next job at LSU that he started to make a name for himself. He led the Tigers to his 2003 BCS national title, the first of seven championships.
He was known for the word “process” and emphasized the need for players and coaches to focus on the task at hand and not get ahead of themselves or worry about the outcome.
He also liked to use the word “rat poison.” This term refers to positive press coverage that can distract from the team's ultimate goal.
When Saban arrived at Alabama in 2007, the Crimson Tide was falling on hard times for a program of its size. In 2006, they had 6 wins and 7 losses.
He quickly restored order, though he hadn't ranked in the top 10 in an Associated Press poll since 1999.
The University of Alabama won all the games in its third year and took first place in its fifth and sixth years as well.
“A lot of it is about legacy,” Saban told ESPN after taking the job at Alabama. “It would definitely be great… to win a national championship at LSU and then win a championship. [the] I think holding the national championship at another SEC institution like the University of Alabama would establish a pretty unique tradition. ”
Under his leadership, Alabama won at least 10 games in each of its final 16 seasons, the longest winning streak in the Associated Press era, and reached the College Football Playoff in eight of the 10 seasons it existed. Perhaps the most impressive thing about his time in Tuscaloosa was his ability to adapt.
The beginning of his reign was built on smash-mouth football, elite defense, and a tough ground attack.
As college football became more open, Saban adapted and started running a spread attack.
Alabama has become known for its explosive offense under current NFL quarterbacks Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones.
“We changed offensively because as much as we were good defensively when we played against Ole Miss and some of the spread teams that run RPOs, they didn't score points against us. ,” Saban said in 2021. 41. They say, “We need to change our style and be better than others.'' ”
At Alabama, Saban developed four Heisman Trophy winners: running backs Mark Ingram and Derrick Henry, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, and quarterback Bryce Young.
He holds the record for most first-round picks with 49, and that number is expected to increase in April.
Ironically, Saban's final year turned out to be the best year of his coaching career. Alabama got off to a slow start, losing at home to Texas and struggling in Central Florida.
It wasn't like most Saban teams in terms of dominance.
However, the Crimson Tide advanced to the playoffs by upsetting Georgia, whose 29-game winning streak had ended, in the SEC Championship Game.
However, it wasn't a fairytale ending for the University of Alabama, as they fell one step short in the playoffs, losing to the eventual national champion, the University of Michigan, in overtime.
“I don't think I could be more proud of so many of our players on teams that are so far away from where we were.” [in the] It’s the second or third game of the season,” Saban said after the win against Georgia. “I think this is a great example for a lot of people who want to be successful in terms of the perseverance they showed, the character they had to overcome adversity, the resilience they played with.”
Once the dust settles, Alabama will have to find a new coach. Oregon's Dan Lanning, Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman, and Clemson's Dabo Swinney have been reported as possibilities.
Whoever takes on the job will be burdened with a heavy burden.
Following the legend is another thing. It's another thing to take over for the greatest player of all time.
