Nick Saban shares what he will tell next Alabama coach to be successful
Nick Saban is retiring from coaching but his impact will still be felt in Tuscaloosa. Whoever winds up being the next head coach for Alabama will be taking over Saban’s program and hoping to have similar success. While six national championships in 17 seasons is unlikely, the Tide will want to keep on rolling.
During his sit-down interview with ESPN’s Rece Davis, Saban was asked what advice he would give to the next head coach. Saban talked about taking advantage of all the great people Alabama has. Not just in the football program but around the University as well, with everyone having the goal of helping players develop in the right way.
“I think there is a great team of people here,” Saban said. “We get great cooperation in the University community. We’ve had great graduation rates. We’ve got really good personal development programs and great people who help guide players in a way that they have a better chance of being successful.”
The development of players under Saban is well documented. He suffered just 29 losses at Alabama while having 44 first-round picks in the NFL Draft. Players would come into Tuscaloosa as some of the best high school prospects and three to four years later, be considered some of the best players available in the draft.
“Creating value” for players has always been one of Saban’s themes. While the NFL is where most of that value is cashed in, life after football has been a big success for former Alabama players. Saban once again credited to people around the program for making it all happen.
“We’ve done a really good job of developing players and we’ve had a lot of really good coaches,” Saban said. “And we’ve had a lot of really good players. I think it’s because we have a team of people who are dedicated to creating value to players.”
Whoever is next up for Alabama will have a ton of pressure on their hands. Winning immediately will certainly be a must in the fan base’s eyes. Especially in the 12-team College Football Playoff era, where getting the opportunity should be viewed as easier.
But if Saban is going to leave them one piece of advice, it’s making sure to count on the people around him in Tuscaloosa. A lot of credit is given to Saban for what he did and rightfully so. However, he made sure to let everyone know there were a ton of people involved in the process too.