Thoughts on Nick Saban's Retirement

When I got the notification yesterday that Nick Saban had announced his retirement, I had to convince myself that I wasn't dreaming. It seemed a bit anticlimactic for him to retire on a random Wednesday in the middle of January. However, after thinking about it, I think that's exactly how Saban wanted to go out. He's always been somewhat of a reserved man, so I think he wanted to make it quick to avoid the inevitable "farewell tour" that all legends who announce their retirement early get. The shock of his retirement is still very prominent, and I think it will probably remain prominent for the entirety of this next season. It will feel very strange seeing someone besides Saban on the sidelines for Bama next year.

I am as big of an Auburn fan as anyone in the world, but I have to give credit where credit is due. Nick Saban is the greatest college football coach of all time. He came in and took over the modern era of college football, and he has my utmost respect as a man and as a coach. Whoever has to replace him will have VERY big shoes to fill.

Speaking of replacements, let's talk a little about that. I would assume that a coach of Saban's caliber would have hand-picked a couple of candidates before his exit. In the meeting where he announced his retirement, he asked his players to wait 72 hours before they made any decisions about transferring. That tells me that he expects a new candidate to be hired very quickly. I expect an announcement by the end of the day tomorrow. The idea of WHO will replace him has been very dynamic so far. Last night, it was Dan Lanning. Today, it's been Steve Sarkisian. The truth is, I don't think anyone knows. It could be Lane Kiffin, it could be Dabo Swinney, it could be Adam Sandler for all we know. Trying to make a prediction at this point is meaningless. I'm sure that Greg Byrne is searching very frantically, because it's important for recruiting and player retention that they get someone in fast.

So how big of an impact will this have on Auburn's football program? Believe it or not, the impact has already begun. Right after the Saban announcement, 5-star receiver Ryan Williams, one of Alabama's top commits, announced his de-commitment from Alabama and was immediately 100% crystal-balled to Auburn. That is a preview of the impact Saban's retirement will have on us. Recruiting will become significantly easier for Hugh Freeze no matter who Bama gets to replace Saban. If Freeze can become the dominant recruiting force in the state, it won't be long until Auburn is the dominant football program in the state. That, however, is a big "if." That will depend on Auburn's short-term success and who ends up at the helm at Alabama.

As for Bama's current team, after a new coach is announced, I am sure that there will be a wave of Bama guys that hit the portal. On the contrary, I'm sure there will be a wave of guys that transfer in to play under the new coach. It is going to be a wild couple of days. All you can do is sit back and enjoy the process.

Saban's exit is actually a bit bittersweet. Obviously, as an Auburn fan, I'm glad that my rival school no longer has the best coach in the country. On the other hand, I've grown up watching Nick Saban coach football. I don't like watching Bama win every year, but I do appreciate greatness. College football as a whole will miss Nick Saban.