Nick Saban is a living legend in our game. The accolades can speak for themselves. It’s always the same with his teams because you can basically say they’re a lock to win the SEC West, get to the SEC title game in Atlanta, make the College Football Playoff and make it to the National Championship game. This is an every year type of prediction for them. On Thursday, the University of Alabama made sure their man patrolling the sidelines was staying put in Tuscaloosa. He’s been given a contract extension that keeps him in Alabama until 2030 and he will be paid $11.7 million per year making him the highest-paid coach in the country once again.
There’s no debate who the best coach in college football is. It’s been Nick for more than a decade. He is the gold standard of coaches in this game. Each year, his teams are always at the top of the rankings and polls. In my breakdowns, I always discuss teams having structure and discipline. This is the reason why the Crimson Tide are always so successful. Nick keeps his teams focused on the task in front of them. Throughout his time in Tuscaloosa, I think of all the big names who have played for him that are now in the NFL. Julio Jones, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Derrick Henry, Mark Ingram, Josh Jacobs, DeVonta Smith, Patrick Surtain II, Jerry Jeudy and Mac Jones to name a few. Even when they lose players to the NFL Draft, they always find a way to reload. I’ve always referred to them as the “New York Yankees” of college football simply because they never rebuild, they just get the best talent and that’s a testament of Nick’s ability to recruit. Watching so many years of Alabama football, his teams can beat you in so many ways. The defense is always strong. As of late, the offense has really come on and made some noise. Nick has many similarities to Bill Belichick. He’s so smart and instinctive when it comes to football and just like his former boss, he’s established himself as an all-time great.
Listen to these numbers. 10 SEC title game victories, a record of 178-25 and I can’t forget the seven national championships (2003, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 & 2020). Nick has also won 14 SEC West division titles. The resume is amazing and he continues to show why he’s the greatest college football coach living.
