Nick Saban on why Tide fans should be supportive + how he’s enjoying new role on ESPN [VIDEO]

Nick Saban may not be the most famous college football coach in the country anymore but his public appearances still warrant a certain amount of the spotlight.

Monday, the former Alabama coach spoke to the Monday Morning Quarterback Club at the Harbert Center in Birmingham. But before he got into the main room, he took some time to speak with his media colleagues and Saban had a message to his fellow Crimson Tide fans.

Keep reading to see what he had to say about the team’s start to the 2024 season + why he’s having so much fun with the College Gameday crew.

‘Be supportive’

Alabama has lost two games before the month of November for the first time since 2007—Saban’s first season in Tuscaloosa.

While there is certainly some pressure building on new coach Kalen DeBoer and his team, Saban said he’s not in any position to judge anyone and his role as a fan is to support the Crimson Tide.

“I’m a fan now. The message I would give to everybody is: the most important thing that all of us can do as fans for Alabama is to be supportive. Support the program, support the players, support the coaches and that will enhance us to have the best solution in transition because it’s always a difficult transition when you have a fairly successful program and someone else comes in.”

~ Nick Saban

Of course, the two losses Alabama has suffered have not been easy to swallow for Tide fans. The first to Vanderbilt, a team Saban never lost (or even came close to losing to), and Tennessee, a rival Saban defeated 16 times in 17 seasons.

But Saban said it’s not about what he accomplished at the program but the standard that is already set by the players and coaches still on the team.

“I would encourage everybody to stay focused on playing to the standard, not my standard, but the standard that their team has established. And I’m sure the players want to do that and the coaches want to do that.”

~ Nick Saban

Nick Saban on ESPN’s College Gameday

As he has always said, Saban admits he still misses the relationship aspect of coaching but the fact that he still has a role within college football is helping.

Saban is a main analyst and personality for ESPN’s College Gameday show that airs every Saturday morning before games kick off. He said he loves the crew he works with, especially when he gets to sit next to Pat McAfee.

“I guess the way I could explain it, when you’re coaching a team, you look at everything through a straw. This is giving me an opportunity to look at college football in general from 1,000 feet… it’s been kind of fun to get a view of college football in a broader sense.”

~ Nick Saban

When the show was in Tuscaloosa last month for Alabama’s game against Georgia, Saban was joined by his wife, Terry. She was the celebrity picker at the end of the show when each person picks a winner from a list of games for the weekend.

Terry picked more games correctly than her husband and Nick said he still hears about it at home.

“I might be the worst picker in the history. When Miss Terry just completely kicks my ass on Gameday in front of the whole world, how bad is that?”

~ Nick Saban

Want more like this in your inbox? Subscribe to our FREE newsletter.