Saban

[T-Dog]

Clark is off limits.

I wouldn't even be mad if Clark is the next Bama head coach, I'd be more impressed he got the job.

[AtlAppMan]

Clark is definitely on the top 10 list per a reliable source.

[NewApp]

Nick Saban Retires

University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban announced his retirement yesterday, stepping down after 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide. The news came 10 days after a 27-20 playoff loss to Michigan, in what became his final game at Alabama.



The 72-year-old Saban is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in college football history, leading Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995-99), LSU (2000-04), and the NFL's Miami Dolphins (2005-07) before heading to Tuscaloosa. He won seven national championships—one with LSU, six with Alabama—becoming only the second coach to win titles at two programs. He amassed a record of 201-29 at Alabama, along with nine conference championships, while coaching four Heisman winners. Saban spent 109 weeks ranked No. 1 at Alabama, more than any other program has in total.



No indication behind the timing of the decision was made. See top candidates to replace him here.

[Bigdaddyg1]

Clark is definitely on the top 10 list per a reliable source.

I think you guys misread the source. He's a top 10 candidate for the assistant to the traveling secretary job.

[Saint3333]

I enjoyed his time as a Dolphin.

[Mjohn1988]

Didn’t want to deal with NIL and the portal. Makes some kids impossible to coach.

[Saint3333]

Didn’t want to deal with NIL and the portal. Makes some kids impossible to coach.

This makes so much sense. Guy used to getting any recruit he wants and not having to worry about competing against the player he kept third string.

Until there are regulations with the TP and NIL it has to be a nightmare all year (not just in season any longer). They went from periods of recruiting to recruiting three sets of folks, HS, your own players, and everyone else's players that might transfer.

[BambooRdApp]

An indirect result is it can impact coaching and coaching style. Saban is old school..Saban yells at a player on Saturday for missing an assignment... player parents are going through intermediaries to see if other schools interested...that sucks as a coach

[Stonewall]

Longtime but recently retired ACC hall of fame coach told me last year….” It just isn’t fun anymore “.

[appdaze]

I think it's all that yall listed and the fact he's 71. He probably would have coached a few more years but he was nesring the end already. At some point even he would retire and spend his twilight years with family.

[Bigdaddyg1]

Longtime but recently retired ACC hall of fame coach told me last year….” It just isn’t fun anymore “.

I think coaches fall into different categories now. The guys at the middling schools in the big conferences probably like the portal. They can poach the backups who are at the biggies and can hope to fill needs with (what they hope are) good players. Then there are the old school guys like Dabo and Saban who, like you say typically get who they want and stockpile 4-5 stars on the bench. Now those bench dudes want to leave almost immediately if it looks like they might sit for 2 years. Then there is the coach at the really good G5 who has to hope his really good players don't bolt to a P5 for some cash even if it means becoming that bench roll player. It's all F'd up.

[MrCraig]

I think it's all that yall listed and the fact he's 71. He probably would have coached a few more years but he was nesring the end already. At some point even he would retire and spend his twilight years with family.

Honestly, I think it's more that than what everyone else said. Saban has never shied away from adapting with the times. As soon as NIL was allowed, he was hitting the boosters hard about getting those collectives set up. He's also always been a master recruiter, so I don't think the portal bothered him too much. Just another way to find players and an easier way for players who don't fit Bama to move on.
The simplest answer is often the correct one- the man is old and has achieved basically everything you can at the college level. Time to hit the golf course with Spurrier and travel with Miss Terry.

[WVAPPeer]

Didn’t want to deal with NIL and the portal. Makes some kids impossible to coach.

This makes so much sense. Guy used to getting any recruit he wants and not having to worry about competing against the player he kept third string.

Until there are regulations with the TP and NIL it has to be a nightmare all year (not just in season any longer). They went from periods of recruiting to recruiting three sets of folks, HS, your own players, and everyone else's players that might transfer.

Not true and as most times you are wrong - If you had ever listened to Coach Saban in some lengthy and meaningful interviews you would hear his thoughts on some of these comments. He was a fan of basic NIL but not the blown out of proportion thing it ended up being, he didn't like the portal but unlike Dabo he used it - got some, lost some. Nothing new to him because he got some good guys and lost some good guys on signing day long before the portal. He adapted to all hurdles, roadblocks and changes thrown his way, how else do you win at least 10 games 17 straight years???
He said many times that this season's team was his favorite probably of all time and many experts - real experts - said this was his best coaching job ever. After losing to Texas in the second game his team had to win 10 straight to get to the SEC championship game where they had to beat a team which had won 29 straight games and was back to back national champions going for a third in a row - 11 straight wins to win the SEC Championship (but still not assured of a playoff spot) - Get into the playoffs and take Michigan to OT in a game they could have easily won---
As shocked as I was when I heard the news and I can say that taking in all of the information I have - It seems like he picked the perfect time to call it a day -

[AppStFan1]

Longtime but recently retired ACC hall of fame coach told me last year….” It just isn’t fun anymore “.

That is what many of them are saying. At least the schools were, and still are, giving players a free education but now we are seeing players scammed by outsiders and agents being given power. Agents are the one group of people who should have no power in college football. I can understand why they want it though because there is no NFLPA which can limit the cut they take and it is cheaper because the players are living at the school and they don't have to pay for them to go train and their housing like they do after the season when they prepare for the NFL Draft.

[BambooRdApp]

Sorry, I have little sympathy for the coaches making $1 million plus per year as a coach. Not a bad living. At P5, many making multiples of millions.

[Black Saturday]

Dabo

Bama doesn’t want Dabo. He hasn’t shown he can adapt to the new CFB and has struggled in a bad ACC lately.

Lanning makes sense as he was already under Saban and excelled under Kirby at UGA. He knows the SEC and can recruit like crazy.

Kirby will say no, they’ll call Lane-but he’s a head case. My guess is Lanning gets it.

I hope Dabo doesn't have it fixed by game 2 next season. He could overprepare for Georgia all summer, hopefully.

[Black Saturday]

Sorry, I have little sympathy for the coaches making $1 million plus per year as a coach. Not a bad living. At P5, many making multiples of millions.

Were you a member of #TeamClark or not?

[BambooRdApp]

Sorry, I have little sympathy for the coaches making $1 million plus per year as a coach. Not a bad living. At P5, many making multiples of millions.

Were you a member of #TeamClark or not?

I always support the coach we have until he/she is not the coach.

[AppWyo]

Longtime but recently retired ACC hall of fame coach told me last year….” It just isn’t fun anymore “.

I think coaches fall into different categories now. The guys at the middling schools in the big conferences probably like the portal. They can poach the backups who are at the biggies and can hope to fill needs with (what they hope are) good players. Then there are the old school guys like Dabo and Saban who, like you say typically get who they want and stockpile 4-5 stars on the bench. Now those bench dudes want to leave almost immediately if it looks like they might sit for 2 years. Then there is the coach at the really good G5 who has to hope his really good players don't bolt to a P5 for some cash even if it means becoming that bench roll player. It's all F'd up.

Actually, you listed what is right with college football right now. Coaches can leave when they want for whatever reasons, players should be able to leave just as easily.

[AppWyo]

The people that are most upset about NIL and the portal are those people who bet on college sports.