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A great one steps down: Alabama’s Nick Saban retires after 7 titles, iconic coaching career

Alabama head coach Nick Saban walks to the Alabama student section to salute the fans postgame, a rare occurrence, after an NCAA college football game against Tennessee, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Saban had asked for fans to be loud and help build momentum during his call-in show earlier in the week. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt) (Vasha Hunt, Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Nick Saban, one of the greatest football coaches in college history, is retiring, according to ESPN.

Saban spent the last 17 years at Alabama where he built the Crimson Tide into dynasty status. In 28 years as head coach, Saban was 297-71-1. He won seven national championships in total, six at Alabama (2009, 2011, ‘12, ‘15, ‘17 and 2020) and another at LSU (2003). He coached four Heisman Trophy winners (Mark Ingram, Yulee High graduate Derrick Henry, DeVonta Smith and Bryce Young).

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Alabama went 12-2 this season, beat Georgia for the SEC title and lost in the College Football Playoff to eventual champ Michigan.

Saban led the Tide to nine Southeastern Conference championships and won his first national title at Alabama with a 14-0 season in 2009.

Saban is famed for his sideline scowl and fiery demeanor -- and for winning. Saban has won more national titles than any other major college coach.

He made a two-year foray into the NFL with the Miami Dolphins before returning to college football to revive one of college football’s most storied programs, which hadn’t won a national title in 15 years. Saban is 297-71-1 as a college head coach, with stops at Toledo, Michigan State and LSU, where he also won a national title. But Alabama is where he cemented his status as one of college football’s greatest coaches.

His latest team dealt with plenty of adversity early on, including a loss to Texas, but rebounded with the emergence of quarterback Jalen Milroe to upset then-No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.

Saban didn’t sound like a coach looking to give up the job any time soon after the game. But it wasn’t a bad way to go, even without the title.

“This is one of the most amazing seasons in Alabama football history in terms of where this team came from, what they were able to accomplish and what they were able to do, winning the SEC Championship, and really, really proud of this group,” he said.

“I just wish that I could have done more as a coach to help them be successful and help them finish, and all we can do now is learn from the lessons that sometimes failings bring to us.”


About the Authors
Justin Barney headshot

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

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