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LOS ANGELES -- Jim Harbaugh is leaving the Michigan Wolverines to accept the head coaching job with the Los Angeles Chargers, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Wednesday.
Harbaugh was considered among the Chargers' most desirable candidates in this coaching cycle because of his success at every level. Since his head coaching career began in 2006 at the University of San Diego, Harbaugh has had success at stops at Stanford, Michigan and in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. There's also Harbaugh's Chargers connection: he played quarterback for the team for two seasons (1999-2000).
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39380148/sources-jim-harbaugh-accepts-head-coaching-job-chargers
We'll see what happens. Thanks, blackcat.
I don't know if he;s agreed to the 2nd interview yet, but Atlanta is still interested.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons parted ways with Arthur Smith after three losing seasons. The season-ending defeat to New Orleans capped Atlanta's third consecutive 7-10 season under Smith, who was hired away from the Tennessee Titans prior to the 2021 campaign. Here are the candidates the Falcons have requested to interview:
Bill Belichick, former Patriots HC (CBS Sports Lead NFL Insider Jonathan Jones) - second interview
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan HC (NFL Media) - second interview
Thanks, BnB. I truly hope you're right.
I've grown accustomed to his jutting jaw.
He is 60 years old. I'll be surprised if he leaves for the NFL again.
From the Michigan Daily -- UofM's school newspaper...
SportsTuesday: Michigan’s future doesn’t hinge on Harbaugh’s decision
by Paul Nasr January 16, 2024
Toucan Sam electrifying the National Championship parade crowd. Shirtless o-lineman on the beds of Ford F-150s. Players catching hot dogs slung from the crowd. Across South University Avenue and down State Street in Ann Arbor, the scenes were plentiful on Saturday.
The man of the hour opted for a different mode of transportation. No semi-truck trailer or burly pick up. Instead, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh — along with some of the team’s captains and biggest stars — smiled and waved to the crowd from the bed of a mini fire truck. A swarm of supporters pursued Harbaugh’s vehicle for far different reasons than they would have after a 2-4 season in 2020. Harbaugh was feeling the love.
While players with then-pending decisions about returning, like junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy, were also on the fire truck with Harbaugh and were also being begged to stay, at the National Championship Celebration later that night in Crisler Center, athletics director Warde Manuel confirmed what plenty of the clamor was about. Standing alone in the bed of a pickup truck for the route, he was hearing it from the crowd all afternoon.
“I will answer the question that I heard about 500 times at the parade route, I am working on getting (Harbaugh) a new contract, I promise you,” Manuel said, evoking a standing ovation in Crisler Center.
When Harbaugh took to the podium to speak later in the ceremony, he was serenaded with, “10 more years,” chants from players and fans alike. The guy that many wanted gone three years ago is now wanted everywhere — across the NFL and equally at Michigan.
Wolverines fans clearly want their National Championship coach to stay, and who can blame them? He’s given Michigan its best football in decades, he delivered a National Championship, he might be one of the best active head coaches on the planet right now — Bill Belichick and Nick Saban’s news making that sentence easier to type than ever.
Yes, Harbaugh is a great coach. There’s a reason he did what he did in the NFL and at Michigan. There’s a reason why NFL teams like the Los Angeles Chargers are lining up to interview him. Yes, he’d help the Wolverines next year. But nothing at Michigan hinges on his return.
What makes Harbaugh special is his ability to build places anew. As corny as he often is, he knows how to build a culture, he knows how to build a program, he knows how to turn things around. He proved that in every coaching stop in his career, and has now made it abundantly clear at Michigan. Whether the mini fire truck alluded to it or not, Harbaugh came to Ann Arbor and put out the fires of his underperforming predecessors to eventually lift the Wolverines from mid to the mountaintop.
Now that he’s done that, what he does next doesn’t have as big an impact on Michigan as you might think. Replicating this season’s success right away, for example, would be very hard for anyone to do — Harbaugh included. Even if he does come back, the Wolverines won’t win a National Championship next year. If he doesn’t come back, they won’t either. They’ll have a new quarterback and a new o-line, they’ll be good but they won’t be the best.
Should the team next year be led by Harbaugh, or a protégé from the program Harbaugh rebuilt like offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, the results would be the same. That’s not to discredit Harbaugh as a coach, it’s actually to his credit. He’s lifted the program up to a point that it can easily go 8-4, 9-3, 10-2 or better each year with or without him. He’s restored Michigan as a powerhouse, one that isn’t reliant on one specific head coach for success, but one with a brand of winning that supersedes any one person.
8-4, 9-3 or 10-2 not good enough anymore? That’s fine; Harbaugh’s coaching has shown what better looks like, but him staying doesn’t guarantee Michigan goes 13-1 or 15-0 whenever he’s here. Him staying doesn’t mean McCarthy stays — he’s not. Him staying doesn’t mean the o-line stays — they’re not. As long as the Wolverines have the right people to sustain the new-era Michigan that Harbaugh built — they do in Sherrone Moore right now — then Michigan’s production both short-term and down the line won’t be directly tied to Harbaugh being there or not.
It will instead be tied to the fact that Harbaugh was there. He was there to lift Michigan out of the Rich Rod and Brady Hoke eras. He was there to end decades of embarrassment against Ohio State. He did the part that he was uniquely qualified to do — bring Michigan back. There are a handful of people qualified to keep the program rolling — he’s one of them, but not the only one.
So Harbaugh can keep his fire truck in Ann Arbor or take it to shake up an NFL franchise. Whatever he chooses won’t alter the Wolverines’ trajectory, because he’s raised the program’s floor to stand high with or without him.
https://www.michigandaily.com/sports/football/sportstuesday-michigans-future-doesnt-hinge-on-harbaughs-decision/
lol Good one, BnB. Beautiful dog, btw.
LOL. It's a low stress job when you recruit the best.
The agent for Washington's coach also got extensions for 3 other coaches he manages. He was also Saban's agent.
https://abc7chicago.com/alabama-kalen-deboer-coach-washington-football/14317395/#:~:text=DeBoer%20hired%20high%2Dpowered%20agent,some%20%2411.1%20million%20this%20year.
If you look at any NFL team today they pretty much define DEI. Just look at the make up of players and the various colleges they have come from all over the country.
The problem today is people don't even understand the definition of DEI.
YW, bc. It'll be interesting to watch this play out. Wonder if some of Fisch's top recruits for AZ will follow him to Washington.
No telling how things will work re the assistant coaches.
Make way for musical chairs.
If you see any articles related to the changes, please post them and/or the link.
I'd be interested in following this from a Washington alum's point of view.
Thanks.
Enjoy your evening.
It's going to be an early evening for me.
Too much fun picking up BIG sticks in the back yard after the high winds this weekend.
Thanks. He has a major job in front of him. When DeBoer left, we had a lot of decomits. Wonder if any of them will return? Also if any of Fisch's assistants will come with? Really have to hope he's a good recruiter as well as a coach.
I'm reminded of Coco Chanel.
Paraphrasing here: At 25 you have the face nature gave you. At 50 you have the face you earned.
Nick Saban has taken that to a new level at age 72.
God bless him. I admire him.
He is a class act gentleman with a handsome face to match.
Sounds like you folks snagged a good one, blackcat. Congratulations.
Next season will be very interesting.
Washington hires Jedd Fisch: Ex-Arizona coach replaces Kalen DeBoer, leads Huskies into Big Ten
By David Cobb 9 hrs ago (14 Jan 2024)
Washington has hired coach Jedd Fisch away from Arizona after three seasons, the university announced. Fisch replaces Kalen DeBoer, who left for the Alabama job this week following the retirement of Nick Saban. Details of Fisch's deal are not yet official but it is believed to be worth $7.75 million annually over seven years, according to multiple reports.
Fisch, 47, executed an impressive turnaround for the Wildcats, culminating with a 10-win season in 2023. He solidified his reputation as an offensive guru after a winding career including numerous NFL assistant jobs and coordinator gigs with major college programs.
"It is truly an honor to join the University of Washington and do my part in carrying on the tradition of a storied football program and world-class university," said Fisch in a UW release. "The unbelievable success of the Huskies the last two seasons demonstrates what UW is capable of and I cannot wait to compete for Big Ten and national championships with tremendous young men and an outstanding coaching staff that we will assemble."
Fisch proved during his three-year tenure at Arizona that he can successfully build a winning program amid challenging circumstances. He inherited a team that finished 0-5 in 2020 and progressively made the Wildcats more competitive. Arizona reached double-digit victories for just the fourth time in program history this season, finishing with a seven-game winning streak capped by a 38-24 win over Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl.
Arizona's breakthrough in 2023 centered around the emergence of quarterback Noah Fifita, who was named the Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year. Fifita actually made his first career start against Washington on Sept. 30. Though Arizona lost the game 31-24, his emergence turned the Wildcats into one of the Pac-12's most dangerous teams.
"I absolutely loved my time as a Wildcat and never thought my family and I would ever leave. Unfortunately, that day has come," Fisch said in a letter to Arizona.
It was a the instant success DeBoer experienced at Washington -- 25-3 in two seasons with a College Football Playoff National Championship berth this year -- will make replacing him a daunting task as the Huskies transition from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten for the 2024 season.
Prior to arriving at Arizona, his first head coaching opportunity, Fisch worked for the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams. The New Jersey native has bounced between college and professional opportunities since landing a graduate assistant opportunity at Florida in 1999. He modeled the early part of his career after Gators legend Steve Spurrier.
Offensive coordinator jobs at Minnesota, Miami and UCLA were among Fisch's most prominent collegiate stops prior to Arizona. He also worked as Michigan's quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator in 2015 and 2016.
New chapter for Washington
Even if DeBoer had turned down Alabama to remain as Washington's coach, the 2024 season was going to bring new challenges for the Huskies, who fell 34-13 to Michigan in the CFP National Championship this month. With numerous key playmakers departing for the NFL and Washington headed to the Big Ten, DeBoer would have faced an uphill battle in maintaining such prolific success in 2024.
Now, that task will fall on Fisch as the Huskies replace quarterback Michael Penix Jr., a star receiving trio and versatile running back Dillon Johnson from the nation's No. 2 passing offense. One example of the roster complications Fisch faces is that the heir-apparent to Penix has already entered the transfer portal. Will Rogers committed to Washington in mid-December after setting the SEC's career completions record at Mississippi State and was in line to lead DeBoer's system next year.
But with DeBoer now at Alabama, Rogers hit the portal before ever playing a snap with the Huskies. Ultimately, someone with Fisch's offensive track record should be able to attract a quality quarterback — or perhaps even retain Rogers. But Fisch will be assembling things on the fly heading into a 2024 slate that features games against Michigan, USC, Penn State and Oregon, just to name a few of the bigger name opponents on Washington's schedule.
Arizona's conundrum
Fisch's departure comes at an inopportune time for Arizona. A 30-day window for current Wildcats to enter the transfer portal has been reopened at a time when much of this year's transferring talent has already committed. Thus, the Wildcats could now be subject to a roster raid at a point in the calendar when replacements are not readily available.
The coaching change is also a reminder of the reality Arizona now inhabits the shifting college sports landscape. While Washington has consistently been considered a better job than Arizona, the difference between the two is more pronounced now amid conference realignment. Arizona is headed to the Big 12 while Washington is going to the Big Ten in 2024. As the Big Ten and SEC continue to ascend in power with high-profile acquisitions that will take effect in the coming season, coaching opportunities in those two leagues now stand apart. Arizona made a great hire in Fisch, but the changing winds of college sports made it increasingly difficult to keep him.
Among the early names to watch in Arizona's quest to replace Fisch are Group of Five head coaches Brent Brennan of San Jose State, GJ Kinne of Texas State and Barry Odom of UNLV, according to 247Sports. Arizona offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll is also a name to watch.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/washington-hires-jedd-fisch-ex-arizona-coach-replaces-kalen-deboer-leads-huskies-into-big-ten/
Alabama took our coach
UW took AZ's coach (Jedd Frisch)
Agree... the transfer portal is a joke.
DEI (diversity equity inclusion) has nothing to do with traditional Liberal Arts.
I was an English major.
I'm talking about the bull fertilizer majors (grievance studies) they create for the morons who shouldn't have been allowed out of junior high.
Affirmative action at its worse.
College should be for the academic elite no matter what color or ethnicity they are.
It's a given that not everyone can become a professional athlete because not everyone has the physical ability to become one.
There's no DEI in sports.
The same should apply to academic ability but people can't seem to accept that.
I miss the days when people had to earn things -- not just show up to get a prize or a degree.
But what do I know?
It's insane. They opened a can of worms when they allowed players to be paid so now the student athlete is now a joke.
And the transfer portal is another joke where players can now switch schools.
The PAC 12 used to be a highly regarded conference. Now only 2 teams remain.
As far as DEI is concerned there is nothing wrong with that. Liberal Arts does have a place in college to make a well rounded individual.
What's going on is... how shall I put it?... ridiculous.
The Big Ten was an academic conference -- the working class Ivy League.
The emphasis was on scholarship.
Cable/Satellite TV arrived -- a 1000+ channels with nothing to fill the air.
All of a sudden, athletics became the priority.
Instead of selling their academics, now all they seem to pitch are the facilities.
Makes me sick. But my opinion counts for nothing. lol
Ultimately, I feel sorry for the players flying coast to coast for the games.
The time changes alone will be daunting.
Plus which, only a very small percentage will make it to the pros.
The rest will graduate with a worthless degree in some stupid DEI subject.
That'll get them a good job with the local pizzeria.
So it goes. Ultimately, not my problem.
There are times when I'm really, really glad I'm old.
Hope the day treats you well.
I call it the Big Ten that can't count. Washington is about to learn like Maryland, money does not buy happiness.
Welcome to the Big Ten plus Eight. < g >
I wish Penix well, too.
Football is a brutal sport (I love it).
But I worry about the long-term effects it has on the players' bodies.
Time for me to get up and move.
Take care and enjoy the day.
I did, yes.
Penix was pretty banged up during the game.
A teammate landed on Penix's right ankle in the third quarter. And he held onto the lower right section of his stomach, indicating a potential rib injury.
With a little rest, he should be completely fine. Hope he's drafted by a team that appreciates him.
Did you go to Washington?
Do you know how Penix is doing?
All I could find was an ankle injury, but nothing about why he kept gripping his side.
Hope he'll heal completely.
Deal is done He's already in Alabama. We were just a stop along the way.
Alabama is close to hiring Kalen DeBoer from Washington to replace Nick Saban, AP source says
13h (12 Jan 2024)
Alabama is negotiating with Washington coach Kalen DeBoer and is close to hiring him as the replacement for Nick Saban, a person with direct knowledge of the talks said Friday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because a deal was not completed yet. The talks were first reported by ESPN.
DeBoer, 49, is a former NAIA coach who led Washington to the national championship game in just his second season.
DeBoer would replace Saban, who announced his retirement Wednesday after leading the Crimson Tide to six national championships in 17 seasons.
DeBoer signed an extension after going 11-2 in 2022, raising his salary to $4.2 million with incremental increases to $4.8 million in the last year of the contract in 2028. It also included an increased buyout of $12 million if DeBoer left for a new job.
Washington offered a seven-year deal worth an average of $9.4 million annually to keep DeBoer, the person with knowledge of the situation said.
Athletic director Troy Dannen has said he first approached the coach about a new contract in October, soon after leaving Tulane for the Washington job.
Washington scheduled a team meeting for around 1:30 p.m. PT, according to a different person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because it was a private team meeting.
DeBoer hired high-powered agent Jimmy Sexton, who also represents Saban, last year. Saban received an eight-year deal in 2022 worth at least $93.6 million, including some $11.1 million this year.
DeBoer had a scheduled in-studio appearance with KJR-FM — Washington’s flagship station — scheduled for Friday morning. The station announced about two hours prior to the appearance that DeBoer would not be coming on the air.
The fast-rising DeBoer led the Huskies to a 14-1 record that included a Pac-12 championship before losing to No. 1 Michigan 34-13 in the national title game. He was named The Associated Press coach of the year.
DeBoer led the Huskies to a 25-3 record in two seasons after taking over a program that was 4-8 in 2021.
DeBoer led his alma mater Sioux Falls to a 67-3 record from 2005-09 and won three NAIA championships at the small, Baptist-affiliated school in South Dakota’s largest city. He later had immediate success at Fresno State, going 12-6 in two seasons from 2020-21.
At Alabama, he would replace a coach who won a major college record seven national titles, including one at LSU. The Crimson Tide have been in national title contention just about every season since winning their first in 17 seasons back in 2009, Saban’s third year.
Alabama’s short-term expectations won’t change with a team led by quarterback Jalen Milroe and a roster fortified by a string of highly rated recruiting classes.
DeBoer coached Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Penix Jr. last season and brings an offensive track record to replace Saban, a former NFL defensive coordinator. He was Fresno State’s offensive coordinator in the 2017 and 2018 seasons and held the same job at Indiana for a year before replacing Jeff Tedford.
DeBoer was an All-America receiver at Sioux Falls who helped the Cougars win their first national championship in 1996. He then stayed on as receivers coach, returning in 2000 as offensive coordinator after a stint as a high school coach in Sioux Falls.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/alabama-is-close-to-hiring-kalen-deboer-from-washington-to-replace-nick-saban-ap-source-says/ar-AA1mT5XS
Not sure Saban ever wanted to break Bear Bryant's 6 wins at AL so they ended up tied at 6 each. Saban's other win came at LSU.
Saban reminds me of Coach K from Duke. They ran clean programs and turned kids into young men.
Both will be legends at their respective schools.
Nick Saban retiring as Alabama football coach
Story by Michael Casagrande, al.com • 1h (10 Jan 2024)
And then it was over.
Nick Saban’s retiring as the University of Alabama football coach, ESPN reported Wednesday afternoon, turning a long inevitability into a stark reality and sending shockwaves throughout the college football world. As of 5:30 p.m., CT, the school had not confirmed the news but it’s been confirmed by multiple news outlets.
It ends arguably the greatest run in college football history where the once famously-nomadic Saban finally planted roots and rebuilt a decaying empire. A 27-20 overtime loss to Michigan in the Rose Bowl semifinal was ultimately Saban’s final act as a college football coach, just over a week before handing the task of replacing him to athletics director Greg Byrne.
By reviving a struggling Crimson Tide program — winning 80.6% of his games and six of his seven national titles — Saban placed his name among the all-time greats. That includes Paul “Bear” Bryant, the Alabama coach from six whose national title mark Saban passed in 2020.
Where there’s understandable sadness from Huntsville to Mobile, a collective sigh of relief comes from outside the state border. Since arriving in 2007 from the Miami Dolphins, Saban recalibrated the entire sport. His quick rise — reaching No. 1 in Year 2 and winning the first national title a year later — wreaked havoc on rivals and created unrealistic expectations for other rebuilding powerhouses.
Auburn’s been through five coaches in Saban’s tenure. Tennessee’s had six. And LSU, three.
The expectation to land the next Saban became unrealistic practically everywhere and the numbers show why they were chasing this success. Saban’s final tallies include the following:
Add it up and Saban’s not just in the same conversation as Bryant, he’s arguably past the legend of another era. His teams maintained a level of consistency unmatched even in Bryant’s prime. After going 7-6 in his first season, Saban teams won no fewer than 10 games for the next 16 years.
After playing in the Independence Bowl in Year 1, Alabama never played in a game below the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1. Only four times after that initial season did Alabama enter the postseason without a shot at winning a national title. And when the Crimson Tide won the 2020 crown, Saban passed Bryant for the most national championships won by a single coach.
To celebrate the totality, one must return to the beginning.
Saban, then the Miami Dolphins coach in late 2006, denied any interest in leaving the NFL for the college game. Multiple fiery news conferences saw Saban smack down reports linking him to the Crimson Tide job. Meanwhile, his agent Jimmy Sexton and Alabama athletics director Mal Moore were working on a contract in early January 2007. Saban eventually relented and met with Moore.
On Jan. 3, 2007, the deal was done. The scene at the Tuscaloosa airport on Jan. 4 was national news as a rabid fanbase descended on the tarmac to greet its savior.
Clips of Saban’s introductory news conference held the next day were played throughout his tenure as he sketched a blueprint of the program, they planned to reawaken a sleeping giant.
Still, there was a touch of skepticism surrounding just how long Saban planned to dedicate to this project. At the time, he was viewed as a serial job hopper — one who spent no more than five years in any position before being lured away for greener pastures.
Was he a lifer or a mercenary?
“A lot of this is about legacy,” Saban told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen in an interview strolling through the Walk of Champions statues. “I’d love to leave a legacy as an outstanding college football coach as all the people we’ve seen coming up this walk has done. This would certainly be something … to win the national championship at LSU and then win national championship at another SEC institution like the University of Alabama, I think would establish a legacy that is pretty unique.”
He certainly followed through on that but questions at his opening news conference persisted.
“Do you know where Lake Burton is?” Saban said in response to a question about his next move. “It’s in north Georgia … that’s where I go in the summertime. That’s where I like it. That’s my next stop. So as long as people around here are committed to trying to win, I’m going to be the coach here. At some point in time, maybe somebody else can do it better. If that time comes, that’s where I’m going. Lake Burton. They don’t have a football team there.”
Saban ultimately followed through on that pledge but there were tense times along the way. That came to a peak in December 2013 after Alabama’s bid for a third straight national title ended in the most horrific way possible, the infamous Kick Six loss in the Iron Bowl. Texas, meanwhile, was sparing no expense after forcing out Mack Brown four years after playing Alabama for the national championship.
There was smoke, rumors and solid reporting linking Saban to a possible move to Austin but he eventually landed on a new contract in Tuscaloosa. He considered it a hard reset, like they were starting over in Year 1 with the Crimson Tide.
Part of that process was modernizing the offense after seeing fresh faces like Gus Malzahn, Hugh Freeze and other purveyors of the hurry-up, no-huddle schemes challenge and then defeat Saban’s traditionally dominant defenses. To fix his offense, Saban stunned the college football world by hiring former USC and Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin. Personality-wise, the polar opposite of Saban, Kiffin spent three seasons retooling the offense with quarterbacks Blake Sims, Jake Coker and Jalen Hurts. Alabama made the playoff all three seasons, winning the 2015 title before falling just short in the championship rematch with Clemson a year later.
Saban’s legacy will also include cultivating coaching staffs that either rehabbed big-name talent or produced it outright. The coaching tree is topped by Kirby Smart, the defensive coordinator from 2008-15 who went on to win two national titles and counting after leaving for his alma mater, Georgia in 2016.
Other former Alabama assistants who went on to big careers include Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and Kiffin now at Ole Miss. Two former assistants became Florida head coaches — Jim McElwain and Billy Napier while Jeremy Pruitt coached Tennessee, Mario Cristobal led Oregon and Miami. Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator in 2017, went on to be the New York Giants head coach while his successor, Mike Locksley took the Maryland head job.
The production of NFL level talent will also be a tentpole in Saban’s Alabama legacy. A total of 120 of his Crimson Tide players were drafted including 44 first-rounders. No class will be remembered more than 2018 when a record 12 players were selected — four in the first round.
So much of that success can be traced back to the recruiting trail that Saban famously owned. Beginning with the Class of 2008 stocked with the likes of Julio Jones, Mark Ingram and Dont’a Hightower, Alabama became the most consistently dominant force in the recruiting world. It won more than 10 recruiting titles, depending on the recruiting service surveyed and never fell out of the top 10 in Saban’s tenure.
The 2017 class will also go down in history for including Tua Tagovailoa, DeVonta Smith, Najee Harris, Jerry Jeudy, Mac Jones among others. It was a big part of national titles in 2017 and 2020 before moving onto the NFL.
That 2020 title was memorable for many reasons, not just the fact it was ultimately Saban’s last. Played at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saban navigated an all-SEC schedule in dominant fashion. After a scare of a false positive before playing Georgia early in the season, Saban was diagnosed with the virus the week of the Iron Bowl and had to watch Alabama’s 42-13 win over Auburn from his Tuscaloosa-area home instead of the sideline.
A 52-24 CFP title-game win over Ohio State was a coronation for the most talented offensive team in Saban’s tenure, one led by coordinator Sarkisian who left for the Texas job immediately following the win.
Alabama, in a relative sense, struggled over the next two years in regaining the mental edge that made that 2020 team a personal favorite, Saban later said. Losses at Texas A&M, Tennessee and LSU over the next two seasons were disheartening for those who remembered the dominant teams of the past. There were bright spots like the 2021 SEC championship game where Alabama dominated No. 1 Georgia to make another playoff appearance. That high didn’t last as the Bulldogs got revenge and Smart finally took down his mentor a month later in the CFP championship game in Indianapolis.
Then in 2023, Alabama again upset the top-ranked Bulldogs in the SEC championship to sneak into the final four-team playoff.
All of this was done with the latest round of non-football challenges thrown the sport’s way. The long overdue opening of Name, Image and Likeness rights for athletes in 2021 added a layer of complication for coaches and administrators. Add in the loosening of transfer regulations and coaches were navigating what felt like a suddenly lawless marketplace. Saban had taken a cautious approach to the changes, agreeing with the move to allow players to benefit from their NIL while warning of the unintended consequences it would have in recruiting.
Like in so many other matters, Saban the politician used his voice and platform to push his perspective in hopes of influencing decision makers. This, however, was a tangled web of legal and legislative matters that reached all the way to Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. That’s where Saban and other leaders went in the summer of 2023 to lobby lawmakers in another evolution for the product of the West Virginia coal country.
From a scrapy, championship-winning high school quarterback to an undersized college defensive back at Kent State to the highest levels of coaching, Saban’s story’s taken its share of twists and turns.
From a job-hopping, hot-headed villain of fanbases across the country to the ultimate savior and empire builder in Tuscaloosa, Saban’s found his legacy.
After 17 years as Alabama’s head football coach, there’s no denying Saban’s place in history.
The most consistently dominant coach of his era, Saban made his case as the greatest college football coach to ever walk the sidelines.
Two hundred and 97 wins. Seven national titles. One dynasty.
And now it’s over.
This breaking news story will be updated.
Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/nick-saban-retiring-as-alabama-football-coach/ar-AA1mLZPs
Who da hell knows? And right now...
I don't care. I'm just going to enjoy the moment.
This year's seniors stayed and they are champions. < g >
GO BLUE ! ! !
The question is can Michigan repeat? It was a fluke this year that no SEC team was in the finals. I doubt that will happen 2 years in a row.
Yes, it was. Took a long time to recover from that worthless POS... Rich Rodriguez.
Thanks for the congrats.
No guarantees for next year.
Gotta savor this victory, then get on with my life.
Take care.
Congrats on the win and national championship. Long time coming since 1997.
Thanks for the congrats, "sad Bama fan."
FWIW, I have the utmost respect and admiration for Nick Saban.
He is one of the all-time great coaches and a class-act gentleman.
We'll see what happens next week.
Go Blue!
FSU players can take a lesson from LSU's Nix who didn't have to play but showed up for his team and played one hell of a game. One of the best Bowl games of the year.
It's Washington against Michigan for all the marbles. Now we'll see if Washington can play with the big dogs.
The game was hardly well played by either team as both QBs struggled. I have no idea what Saban was thinking running Milroe up the gut against Michigan's front line only to get stuffed at the 2 to end the game.
Congrats to Michigan from a sad Bama fan.
Go Blue.
Oh she-of-weak-heart-and-little-faith is watching the rerun now.
I couldn't watch the ending last night. Too nerve-wracking
Opted to go to sleep.
But now that I know the final score... I can enjoy watching.
Savor the victory. The end of the game was a real nailbiter.
Both sides did themselves proud.
Either team could have won so it was a very exciting game. The QB for Army made the difference with his running.
I'm happy wife sad.
Good Victorious Morning, BnB.
Congratulations on Army's victory.
I trust you were a gracious winner.
Happy wife. Happy life.
Have a good one.
I have invited him down to NC which was his old stomping grounds but he never shows up.
lol... I dare you to say that to his face.
We'll miss you when you're gone.
I have to remind EZ every year the Marines don't have a football team and they depend on the Navy to haul their asses all over the globe.
hahahaha.
Memory Lane: (Forgive me, if I've already told this story.)
Back in my UofMichigan days ('69-'73), our first game of the season was always against Navy. The midshipmen were bussed in from Annapolis in time for the kickof. We always beat them by a large margin. After the game, the cadets were allowed to do whatever they wanted in town. The only restriction was they had to be back on the bus at midnight in full uniform for the ride home. These guys hadn't been allowed near women or to have fun in weeks. They were ready to party.
Although this was at the height of the anti-war protests, the home crowd was congenial and in the mood to show the gentlemen a good time. My junior year, there was a party in the back of our apartment building. Lots of drinking and dancing. Pure fun. Before we knew it, the clock approached the witching hour. The guys were getting ready to head to the bus when panic broke out. One of the men was missing. EEK! There was a huge scramble to find him. We did. He was passed out in the dumpster. His buddies got him out and carried him away. After they left, we found his tie and another piece of his uniform. He may not have been fully dressed, but at least he got back to the bus by the deadline.
Good times.
My dad was USA.
My favorite old flame was in the Navy.
My long-time iHub buddy is a Marine.
Decisions. Decisions.
Sitting here with ESPN's College GameDay blathering in the background.
They seem to be on Navy's side with Lee Corso leading the pack.
You may be a house divided this morning, but I'm sure at the end of the game
your two houses will be a respectful one once again.
Have fun and GO TEAM.
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