By Clarkie Ackerly

On January 10, The University of Alabama football program said goodbye to their beloved coach. After 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide, head football coach Nick Saban announced his retirement at age 72.

Upon Saban’s arrival in Tuscaloosa in 2007, Alabama football never looked back. He changed not only Alabama football, but college football as a whole. Saban will be remembered in Tuscaloosa and by the Alabama community as one of the greatest coaches of all time.

Saban on the field. Photo courtesy of Alabama Football’s Instagram page.

Saban won a total of 201 games at Alabama; eight of those games were SEC championships, and six were national championships. However, Saban’s success truly started at LSU in 2000, where he was the head coach for five years. He won two SEC championships at LSU and one national championship, making him the first coach to win a national championship at two different schools. Saban left LSU to pursue the NFL, where he coached the Miami Dolphins for two seasons. After a tough two seasons with the Dolphins, Saban accepted the head coaching position at Alabama. 

Saban created a dynasty. With his strong recruiting tactics and coaching skills, he built a top-tier team year after year. According to Tom Dierberger from Sports Illustrated, every player recruited by Saban who completed four years at the university won a national title. He was able to produce four Heisman Trophy winners and sent countless players to the NFL; 44 of them were first round draft picks. Saban’s various Alabama teams spent a total of 109 weeks ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. In all of his time spent in Tuscaloosa, he never had a losing season. None of these achievements came easily, however. From day one, Saban worked hard to create a sense of community, compassion, hard work, and mental toughness among his players and the program as a whole. 

Saban’s Alabama football dynasty officially started in 2008, when the Tide shocked the country by beating the Clemson Tigers, a top ten team, 31-10 early in the season. Following the 2008 season, sports reporter Ronald Evans said, “When the championships came they were not a surprise, they were expected. What we did not know at the time, was the 2008 Clemson game would mark the start of arguably the greatest CFB Dynasty – ever.”

Saban and the Alabama football team celebrating in the locker room. Photo courtesy of Alabama Football’s Instagram page.

When Saban first arrived in Tuscaloosa, players described how he carried himself with pride and poise. Former Alabama guard Baret Jones said, “Every coach tells you they are going to win, they are going to do special things. For whatever reason, when coach Saban told you that, I believed him. It was just the way he talked, the way he carried himself. I could tell he was going to win a lot of football games.” From early on, Saban knew what he had to do to succeed, and he knew just how to do it. He prioritized process over outcome. It didn’t matter who the team was; every game was treated with the same respect as the other.

In just his first three years as head of the program, he was able to alter the entire team’s psyche. Prior to his arrival, the Alabama football program was struggling. Saturday Down South’s Al Blanton described how “Alabama fans believed Saban was tasked with a rebuilding project… but Saban wanted to build an entirely new house.” 

Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium
Photo credit: Clarkie Ackerly.

Saban’s coaching style can be summarized in one word: discipline. He encouraged his players to focus on the details, forget a poor play, eliminate distractions, and stay in the present moment. Saban set high standards for his players and forced them to work hard to overcome adversity. He showed his players that “the standard is not measured by the opponent; the standard is measured by Alabama” and that “The opponent was Self.”

Saban’s retirement announcement left multiple Alabama fans in tears. Not only were the emotions of fans turned upside down after hearing the news, but the emotions of players and recruits were as well. Multiple Alabama players decided to enter the transfer portal, showing the respect players had for Saban and his coaching style. One of the many reasons recruits and current players committed to Alabama was to be coached by Saban. In order to be the best, they wanted to play for the best. That opportunity would now be gone, leaving countless players confused, upset, and nervous for the future. 

The Tide’s loss of key players to the portal, such as safety Caleb Downs and offensive linemen Kadyn Proctor, two five-star freshmen, and Isaiah Bond, one of the Tide’s best wide receivers, hurt the program. Luckily, however, starting quarterback Jalen Milroe is staying with the Tide. 

Alabama football’s new head coach Kalen DeBoer (right). Photo courtesy of Alabama Football’s Instagram page.

Former University of Washington Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer will attempt to uphold the great dynasty that is Alabama football. For me, a student attending Alabama next year, I am excited to watch history unfold as the Alabama football program embarks on a new chapter. I look forward to experiencing DeBoer’s first season as head coach from inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on game days. While Saban’s retirement was upsetting, I have great faith in DeBoer. He has a winning record of 104-12 as a head coach. I am confident that the atmosphere and excitement on game days will not change, despite Saban’s retirement.

While following Saban will be a challenge for DeBoer, he is thrilled at the opportunity. DeBoer said that “Following Coach Saban is an honor. He has been the standard for college football, and his success is unprecedented. I would not have left Washington for just any school. The chance to lead the football program at The University of Alabama is the opportunity of a lifetime.” DeBoer will be put to the test as to whether he can handle the SEC on September 28, when the Tide competes in their first SEC matchup against the always competitive Georgia Bulldogs.