Nick Saban on College Football’s Changing Landscape: Coaches’ Leverage Diminished
Adapted from “Crain & Co.,” March 7, 2024.
Jake Crain:
ESPN’s Chris Low published a profile on Nick Saban just yesterday, and in it, Saban basically said the quiet part out loud. The truth is, with the way college football is structured right now, after all these monumental changes, coaches have lost a lot of leverage. And when you lose leverage, you lose a lot of control — control over being able to know who’s coming back consistently, control over being able to construct a depth chart due strictly to who practices better and who has earned it. You lose a lot of your ability to cultivate long lasting program culture, which takes the result even further out of your hands.
In the interview, Nick Saban said, “So I’m saying to myself, ‘Maybe this doesn’t work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it’s all about how much money can I make as a college player?’ Now, I’m not saying that’s bad. I’m not saying it’s wrong. I’m just saying that’s never been what we’re all about, and it’s not why we had success through the years.”
I agree that players should be paid for NIL, but with no guardrails and no balance, it goes from a part of the motivation to the main motivation. Now, that isn’t a brand new concept. Guys have been motivated by making money in the NFL for a long time, but you didn’t get that reward until you finished college — outside of what the boosters slid in before you committed. So one can want players to get rewarded, but are we trading the most valuable lesson of college football for valuable pieces of printed paper?
Saban sustained success for so long for many reasons, but his best poker play was being malleable even when he was at the top because he had control. And a great poker player knows when to hold them, knows when to fold them, knows when to walk away, and knows when to run to your $17 million island that you just bought because you can’t control all the variables anymore. And he’s smart to do it.
The game has changed, and we have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time with this NIL situation with no guardrails. They let the monster out to attack the villagers. And you’ve seen coaches lose that control. And it’s really hard right now to be able to consistently have a roster that you feel like you have molded the piece of clay as much as you possibly can. You’re basically only co-parenting now, and it’s tough.
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David Cone:
Let’s not forget that Nick Saban is 72-years-old. That’s the primary reason for him retiring. If he were 50-years-old, I don’t care what the players did after the Rose Bowl, he was going to whip the thing into shape and come back next year.
I do find Low’s interview with Saban very telling though, and all of the reactions that I saw to this interview fell into one of two categories. Either, one, Nick Saban is exactly right: Money is ruining college football. The game is not the same and I’m done with it. Or two, Nick Saban is just mad that he’s not the only one who can pay players anymore and he wants to exploit their talents, so go on and be gone and good riddance. I think it’s low resolution on either side of those arguments.
Yes, this has ushered in a new wave of college football without any sort of guardrails, and any time the NCAA has tried to put some rules in place, we’ve gone to class action or antitrust lawsuits like we’ve just seen at the University of Tennessee. The NCAA has brought a lot of this on themselves.
But we can have leadership in college football without everything falling off the rails. Nick Saban needs to take a leadership role in college football. I know he’s going to go work at ESPN and I know he’s going to be on television, but he can help bring about some positive change.
We can solve a lot of these problems and college football can still be great, even if players are able to capitalize monetarily in some aspects.
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Jake Crain is co-host of Crain & Company, the Daily Wire’s sports show hosted by former athletes and coaches Jake Crain, Blain Crain, and David Cone. Follow him: @JakeCrain_
David Cone is a co-host and producer of the Daily Wire’s sports show Crain & Company, as well as a contributor to Morning Wire. David is also a former quarterback for the University of Michigan. Follow him: @davidadamcone
How has the introduction of NIL affected the goals and aspirations of college players?
He would still be coaching next season. It’s unfortunate that the game has changed to the point where coaches like Saban feel like they are losing control and leverage. But, as he mentioned in the interview, the goals and aspirations of college players have changed as well. Money has become a significant motivator, and with the introduction of NIL, players now have the opportunity to earn substantial sums even before they reach the professional level.
While it is understandable that players should be compensated for their name, image, and likeness, it is also important to consider the impact this shift has on the sport. Saban raises a valid concern about the potential loss of the most valuable lesson in college football: the development of character and teamwork through dedication and hard work. If the primary motivation for players becomes financial gain, will they still exhibit the same level of commitment and passion for the game?
Saban’s success came from his ability to adapt and control all the variables within his program. However, with the changing landscape, it is becoming increasingly difficult for coaches to maintain that level of control. The introduction of NIL has disrupted the traditional structure, introducing new challenges and uncertainties. Coaches must now navigate the delicate balance between nurturing talent and managing individual interests.
It is evident that the game has changed, and it is understandable that Saban, at 72-years-old, is contemplating retirement. He has achieved unparalleled success and built an extraordinary program. But as he stated, the game has become more challenging, and the ability to consistently mold and shape a roster has diminished. Coaches must now share the responsibility of shaping players with external influences, making it a more challenging task.
The introduction of NIL without proper guardrails has indeed unleashed a monster. Coaches are witnessing the erosion of their control and influence, making it harder to cultivate a lasting team culture and construct a depth chart based solely on merit. The ability to recruit and retain talented players consistently has also become more challenging.
In conclusion, the interview with Nick Saban sheds light on the changing landscape of college football. While coaches have lost leverage and control, players have gained new opportunities for financial gain through NIL. It is crucial to find a balance that allows for player compensation while still preserving the core values and teachings of college football. Coaches must adapt and find new ways to motivate and guide players in this evolving landscape. The game has indeed changed, and it remains to be seen how coaches and players will navigate this new era in college football.
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