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Bama News
Alabama football coach Nick Saban has been the nearly-undisputed ruler of college football for the better part of 15 years, but nothing lasts forever.
Saban comes into the 2023 season at 71 years of age and is aware that he's closer to the end of his time on the sideline than to the beginning.
But the seven-time national champion (six at Alabama) hasn't made any plans about when he will step away, though he did acknowledge that he doesn't want to "ride the program down."
Nick Saban addresses retirement
"I basically love what I do," Saban told Stephen A. Smith.
"I love the relationships with the players. I love trying to build a team with a group of people. Now that's a lot of fun, and I enjoy doing that.
"I'm also very aware that I don't want to ever ride the program down. In other words, there's going to come a time when my age and my circumstance, everybody's going to be able to tell somebody where he's not gonna be there.
"I mean, 'How long is he going to coach? Til he's 90? And that will start to affect the program maybe in an adverse way. I don't want to get there."
Alabama still on top
Nothing indicates that he or Alabama are "there" yet. Saban just signed the consensus No. 1 football recruiting class and is expected to once again start the season near the top of the official football rankings.But the Crimson Tide also suffered some notable problems on both sides of the ball a year ago, going 11-2 and missing the College Football Playoff.
And in the meantime, Georgia has emerged as college football's latest budding dynasty, winning two straight national championships.
This season will provide Alabama another opportunity to show the world it still belongs in the conversation as Saban nears the end of his career.
