The best coach college football history On Wednesday he concluded his career after 28 years as a head coach at the collegiate level.
During the last 17 years, Nick Saban He has been the head coach at Alabama, where he led the Crimson Tide to nine SEC titles and six national championships.
Fox Big Noon Saturday Kickoff analyst Reggie Bush takes photos with fans before a college football game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Indiana Hoosiers on Oct. 8, 2022, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana. (James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
As college football continues to undergo massive changes, such as conference realignment, the transfer portal and name, image and likeness (NIL), one former college football star believes the changing landscape is the reason why Saban came out when he did.
FOX SPORTS' TIM BRANDO WEIGHS AS THREE LEGENDARY COACHING ERA CONCLUDES
“NIL kicked him out, he no longer has control over the 5-star recruits, the playing field is level and he can't handle that,” the former USC star said. Reggie Bush commented on ESPN's Instagram post that contained Saban citing his age for the reason for his retirement.
Saban told ESPN in a televised interview that his health and that of his wife, Miss Terry, were fine, but the grind of the 2023 season took a little more out of him than usual.
In an interview with ESPN, Saban, 72, said the changing landscape of the sport had nothing to do with his decision to hang up his headphones.
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban reacts before a game against the Texas Longhorns at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 9, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
“Don't talk about it. That's not what it's about,” Saban said. “For me, if you choose to train, you don't need to complain about all those things. You need to adapt and do the best you can under the circumstances and not complain about it. Now, “I think everyone is frustrated by that. We had a conference call with the SEC, 14 coaches there. [Wednesday]and there isn't a single person you can talk to who really understands what's going on in college football and thinks it's not a problem.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
“But [his retirement] It's not about that. We have been in this era for three years and we have adapted and also won in this era. “It's just that I always knew when it would be time to hand it over to someone else, and this is the time.”
Alabama hired former Washington Huskies head coach Kalen De Boer on Friday to succeed Saban.
New Alabama football head coach Kalen DeBoer (center) waves to cheering fans as he steps off the plane at Tuscaloosa National Airport, two days after former coach Nick Saban announced his retirement on Friday the 12th. January 2024 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
DeBoer led Washington to the national championship game on Monday, where his Huskies fell to the Michigan Wolverines.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I want nothing more than to see Alabama football continue to be successful, and Coach DeBoer is an excellent choice to lead this program,” Saban said in part in a statement after the hire.
DeBoer was introduced as Alabama's head coach at a news conference Saturday, where Saban was present.
