Three days after watching Michigan celebrate a Rose Bowl victory, one question has surfaced in the minds of national media, rival fan bases, and some Alabama fans.
People want to know is Nick Saban closer to retirement now more than ever. He is in unchartered waters as three years in a series have gone by without him capturing a national championship. The Crimson Tide is in a national title drought and a pair of former five stars from the 2021 class, JC Latham and Dallas Turner, are headed to the NFL Draft without a national championship.
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Rumors have floated on social media about Saban possibly stepping away from coaching.
No one knows this more than Saban; however, the rumors are increasing by the day. He has accomplished so much in 17 seasons as head coach of the University of Alabama football, but has name, image, and likeness and the NCAA transfer portal become too much?
His opportunity to become concretely over Paul W. “Bear” Bryant for national championships slipped away in the final 4:41 in Monday’s Rose Bowl.
Terrion Arnold, a cornerback for Alabama, has a decision to make on the NFL Draft, but he loves his head coach.
The native Floridian spoke on 3 Man Front, addressing the retirement rumors.
.@AlabamaFTBL DB @ArnoldTerrion’s response to the Nick Saban retirement rumors: “Coach Saban ain’t goin’ nowhere. He’s gonna die coaching.”
— 3 Man Front (@3ManFront) January 3, 2024
Arnold does not see Saban going anywhere. Several players, including Malachi Moore and Justin Eboigbe, shared Arnold’s sentiment during media availability at the Rose Bowl. No one in the program sees Saban retiring at the moment.
We don’t know when the moment will come, especially with Saban being more fiery to return to winning College Football Playoff National Championships with the program.
He needs to make improvements in the offseason, but no one in the building sees him leaving.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
