Alabama head coach Nick Saban reacts after running back Jase McClellan (2) scored a touchdown during the second half of the Rose Bowl CFP NCAA semifinal college football game against Michigan Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Pasadena, Calif.
Coach Nick Saban is announcing his retirement from coaching. He is calling it a career after coaching in college and professional football for 28 years. College Football has been hit with some major news today after this legend announced his retirement. This article will be updated after Coach Saban takes the stage to talk to the media about his decision.
Coach Nick Saban made this statement just hours after he announced to Alabama that he would be retiring. “The University of Alabama has been a very special place to Terry and me,” Saban said in a statement. “We have enjoyed every minute of our 17 years being the head coach at Alabama as well as becoming a part of the Tuscaloosa community. It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it’s about the legacy and how we went about it. We always tried to do it the right way. The goal was always to help players create more value for their future, be the best player they could be and be more successful in life because they were part of the program. Hopefully, we have done that, and we will always consider Alabama our home.”
Coaching Career
Saban has worked all over the country as a coach he started in 1990 at Toledo. After just one year at Toledo where he won nine games, he moved on to Michigan State. He was with the Spartans from 1995 to 1999 during those years he won 34 games and coached in three bowl games. Following his time at Michigan State he went to LSU from 2000 to 2004 where he coached them to 39 wins and five bowl games. During the 2003 season, he led them to 13 wins and a national championship.
Nick Saban then coached in the NFL from 2005-2006 where he was head coach of the Miami Dolphins. During those two seasons, he coached them to 15 wins but no playoff run. After that, he was hired at Alabama where he has spent the last 16 years of his career. Saban coached them to seven national championships, nine SEC championships, and 192 wins. During the past 16 years with the Tide for many will be unforgettable. He had numerous wins, awards, players drafted into the NFL, and coaches who are now leading their teams.
He also had many players drafted to the next level and went on to play for many years. Coach Saban also had four players win the Heisman trophy and many named to other collegiate awards. Saban has been inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, was SEC coach of the year five times, and two-time Paul “Bear” Bryant Award Winner.
Coaching Tree
Coach Saban has been coaching for 28 years during those years he had many assistant coaches and personnel to lead his team. Below you will find a list of coaches who worked alongside Saban during his coaching career. These coaches after working with Nick Saban went on to be a head coach in the NFL or at the collegiate level.
Jimbo Fisher
- LSU 2000-2004 Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach
- Flordia State 2010-2017 HC
- Texas A&M 2018-present
Kirby Smart
- LSU 2004 Defensive Backs Coach
- Miami Dolphins 2006 Safeties Coach
- Alabama 2007-2015 Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Backs Coach
- Georgia 2016-present HC
Will Muschamp
- LSU 2001-2004 Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers Coach
- Florida 2011-2014 HC
- South Carolina 2016-2020 HC
Jeremy Pruitt
- Alabama 2007-2009 Director of Player Development, 2010-2012 Defensive Backs Coach, 2016-2017 Defensive Coordinator, Inside Linebackers Coach
- Tennessee 2018-2020 HC
Mark Dantonio
- Michigan State 1995-1999 Defensive Backs Coach
- Cincinnati 2004-2006 HC
- Michigan State 2007-2019 HC
Lane Kiffin
- Alabama 2014-2016 Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach
- Oakland Raiders 2007-2008 HC
- Tennessee 2009 HC
- USC 2010-2013 HC
- FAU 2017-2019 HC
- Ole Miss 2020-present HC
Derek Dooley
- LSU 2000-2002 Tight ends Coach, 2003-2004 Running Backs Coach
- Miami Dolphins 2005-2006 Tight Ends Coach
- Alabama 2022-present Offensive Analyst
- Louisiana Tech 2007-2009 HC
- Tennessee 2010-2012 HC
Jim McElwain
- Alabama 2008-2011 Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach
- Colorado State 2012-2014 HC
- Florida 2015-2017 HC
- Central Michigan 2019-present HC
Bobby Williams
- Michigan State 1995-1999 Running Backs Coach
- LSU 2004 Wide Receivers Coach
- Miami Dolphins 2005-2006 Running Backs Coach
- Alabama 2008-2015 Tight ends, Special Teams Coach
- Michigan State 2000-2002 HC
Steve Sarkisian
- Alabama 2016 Analyst, 2019-2020 Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach
- Washington 2009-2013 HC
- USC 2014-2015 HC
- Texas 2021-present HC
Mel Tucker
- Michigan State 1997-1998 Graduate Assistant
- LSU 2000 Defensive Backs Coach
- Alabama 2015 Defensive Backs Coach
- Michigan State 2020-2023 HC
Butch Jones
- Alabama 2018-2020 Offensive Analyst, Assistant
- Central Michigan 2007-2009 HC
- Cincinnati 2010-2012 HC
- Tennessee 2013-2017 HC
- Arkansas State 2021-present HC
Billy Napier
- Alabama 2011 Analyst, 2013-2016 Wide Receivers Coach
- Louisiana 2018-2021 HC
- Florida 2021-present HC
Mario Cristobal
- Alabama 2013-2016 Offensive line coach, Recruiting Coordinator
- FIU 2007-2012 HC
- Oregon 2018-2021 HC
- Miami 2022-present HC
Mike Locksley
- Alabama 2016-2018 Offensive Coordinator, Wide Receivers Coach
- New Mexico 2009-2011 HC
- Maryland 2019-present HC
Jason Garrett
- Miami Dolphins 2005-2006 Quarterbacks Coach
- Dallas Cowboys 2011-2019 HC
Dan Quinn
- Miami Dolphins 2005-2006 Defensive Line Coach
- Atlanta Falcons 2015-2020 HC
Mike Mularkey
- Miami Dolphins 2006 Offensive Coordinator
- Buffalo Bills 2004-2005 HC
- Jacksonville Jaguars 2012 HC
- Tennessee Titans 2016-2017 HC
Adam Gase
- LSU 2000-2002 Assistant
- Miami Dolphins 2016-2018 HC
- New York Jets 2019-2020 HC
Pat Shurmur
- Michigan State 1995-1997 Tight ends, Offensive line, and Special teams coach
- Cleveland Browns 2011-2012 HC
- New York Giants 2018-2019 HC
Major Applewhite
- Alabama 2007 Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach, 2019-2020 Analyst
- Houston 2017-2018 HC
Geoff Collins
- Alabama 2007 Director of Player Personnel
- Temple 2017-2018 HC
- Georgia Tech 2019-2022 HC
Curt Cignetti
- Alabama 2007-2010
- IUP 2011-2016 HC
- Elon 2017-2018 HC
- James Madison 2019-present HC
Brian Daboll
- Michigan State 1998-1999 Graduate Assistant
- Alabama 2017 Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach
- New York Giants 2022-present HC
Dan Lanning
- Alabama 2015 Graduate Assistant
- Oregon 2022-present HC
Charles Huff
- Alabama Running Backs Coach 2019-2020
- Marshall Head Coach 2021-present HC
