Paul Finebaum on Nick Saban's place in college football: 'He's not the center of attention'

Some have overdone it when it comes to a few aspects of the slow demise of Nick Saban and Alabama. Still, in other ways, Paul Finebaum believes Saban’s career might not last too much longer based solely on his positioning on the totem pole.

Finebaum spoke about Saban’s legacy and future during an appearance on ‘The Audible’ on Wednesday. He said there’s at least some level of vulnerability that comes with Saban these days considering how his age plays into this stage of his career.

“He has to feel vulnerable,” said Finebaum. “I’m a couple of years behind him so I don’t want to get too carried away with the age question. But he’s about to turn 72. There’s not a 72-year-old in America, except the two guys running for president of the United States, who don’t think about age and their place in history.”

“I think he has to be thinking about that,” said Finebaum. “I don’t think he wants to walk away nor do I think he’ll immediately consider that.”

Finebaum also added that the dimming of the spotlight on him might also affect Saban’s next steps. With established stories like Kirby Smart, emerging narratives like Deion Sanders, and others always on the way? Finebaum isn’t sure if he wants to handle the reality of not being at the center of the attention.

“He also, I don’t think, can handle being just another guy,” Finebaum said. “Right now? He’s not another guy but he’s not the center of attention. He’s not the center of attention in his own league. And he certainly isn’t the center of attention in college football with what is happening in Boulder.”

With what he has accomplished, Saban is always going to have a spot on the top tier when it comes to college football. Even so, with the way the sport is trending and with him aging either way? Finebaum doesn’t see his position at the peak as solid as it once was.

Saban on outside noise: ‘I don’t need anybody else to criticize’

Following Alabama’s third loss in its last nine games, questions about the state of the program and the current trajectory of not only this year’s team but the future of the program have come up, including those around Nick Saban.

However, all that outside noise is falling on deaf ears inside the program.

“I haven’t even heard or read any of those things because I don’t really pay a lot of attention to it,” Saban said. “I do pay a lot of attention to what we’re doing here internally and how we can get it fixed so that our players have a better chance to be successful.”

Saban broke down how he attempts to try to get his team locked back in following a tough loss like Saturday’s to Texas.

“My approach is to try to play to a standard. Try to get our players to play to a standard,” Saban said. “And, when we don’t play to a standard, I don’t need anybody else to criticize. I’ve got pride in performance just like everyone else in this organization.”

The Crimson Tide will have a game against USF to get right before the SEC schedule arrives.

Saban knows his team needs to be locked back in if it hopes to reach its season-long goals of winning the SEC West, reaching Atlanta, and, potentially, competing for a College Football Playoff berth.

“We want to try to get it right. We want to try to get everything we can to get people to play to a standard,” Saban said. “And that’s what we’re focused on. My standard comes from within me, not from some external motivation that comes from someplace else.”