Nick Saban brought prestige upon the University of Alabama. 

Long before he arrived in Tuscaloosa, Saban was building a coaching dynasty. It wouldn’t be realized for some time after he started his coaching career, though it wouldn’t have happened any other way. 

Saban started his head coaching career at Toledo on Dec. 22, 1989. He went 9-2 in his lone season before heading back to the NFL where he’d already spent two years with the Houston Oilers from 1988-89. 

And 35 years later, on Jan. 10, his retirement shook the college football world. 

“I don’t think there’s any good time especially when you’re a coach because once you’re a coach you think you’re going to be a coach forever,” Saban told Rece Davis of ESPN. “But I actually thought that in hiring coaches, recruiting players, that my age started to become a little bit of an issue. People wanted assurances that I would be here for three years, five years, whatever, and that got harder and harder for me to be honest about.” 

After a season in which Alabama won the Southeastern Conference Championship following a 4^th and 31 conversion at Auburn and a dethroning of Georgia’s 29-game winning streak, Saban said last season “was grueling.” 

“It was a real grind for us to come from where we started to where we got to,” Saban said. “Took a little, little more out of me than usual, and when people mention the health issue, it was really just the grind of can you do this the way you want to do it? Can you do it the way you’ve always done it, and be able to sustain it and do it for the entire season? And if I couldn’t make a commitment to do that in the future, the way I think I have to do it, I thought maybe this was the right time based on those two sets of circumstances. That, like I said, there’s never a good time. But I thought maybe this was the right time.” 

Saban gave no indication prior to the 2023 season that it might be his last as head coach. But after his eighth appearance in the College Football Playoff, Saban decided it was the right time to retire. 

He said his role “was a little different this year” in terms of coaching, noting that he spent more time focusing on the defense. 

“Had to be more involved with the defense, that took a little more time, put a little more stress on me, made me feel like, maybe I wasn’t doing as good a job as I needed to in other parts of our team,” Saban said. “I just have a high standard for how I do things. And if I can’t, if I don’t feel like I’m living up to that standard, I’m really disappointed.”

Over the past several years in particular, college football has seen notable drastic change involving aspects such as the transfer portal and Name, Image and Likeness. 

None of those aspects had an effect on Saban’s decision to retire, he said. 

“You know, I’ve always been one that no matter what’s happened through the years, whether they went no huddle and you had to adapt to it, they threw RPOs and you had to adapt to it, we had a changing environment in college football,” Saban said. “My thing was always don’t complain about it, try to figure out what the best solution is so that you can compete well in whatever the environment is. And that’s always the approach that I’ve taken and the situation and circumstances that we’re in. But I will be dedicated to college football and the future of college football and trying to make that sport — as well as other sports and collegiate athletics and whether they’re revenue producing or not because I think they all create opportunities for lots of people — I’m going to be an advocate for trying to make the game as good as it can be.” 

It took conversations with his wife, Miss Terry, and numerous student-athletes before Saban settled on his decision to retire. 

Saban said conversations with players such as Malachi Moore and Caleb Downs “were probably the most difficult” because of the special relationships he’s forged over time. 

Saban said the areas he’d like to see growth is around the participation aspect of college athletics and to “improve the quality of life of the participants.” In being an advocate for student-athletes, Saban can assume that role immediately. 

Saban isn’t the only legendary coach to leave his post. In the NFL, Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll left their head coaching positions with the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, respectively, after more than a decade at the helm. 

Saban said he’s noticed the change sweeping across all levels of football, and to him, he sees how special it is. 

“I think it’s a tribute because I think it’s much more difficult to sustain success than it is to build a program, to take a 3-8 team and in three or four years make it a successful program,” Saban said. “I think to do it for a long time because people don’t react well to success. They react much better to failure. They’re more willing to change their ways, they’re more willing to develop the habits they need to develop to be successful. But when you’ve climbed the mountain successfully several times you become the mountain so therefore everybody’s shooting at you, everybody wants to beat you, everybody circles that game on their schedule as this is the game that we want to make sure we’re ready for and win.” 

So while Saban will enter retirement and former Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer will succeed him, it’s not like Saban won’t still be around.

He’ll have an office at Alabama and a chance to be around the program almost as much as he has been. Saban wants to still be part of college football, and the Crimson Tide are affording him that opportunity.

And in the many opportunities Saban has created and taken, he still wants to inspire change and make an impact on someone else.

“We want to continue to do those types of things in the community, build houses for people,” Saban said. “It’s just part of having compassion for other people and trying to be helpful, and one of the things that make me sort of most proud is the number of players, whether it was Tua (Tagovailoa), Mac Jones, Bryce (Young), whoever it was, that I saw them working on houses for Miss Terry on a Saturday to build a house for some needy family, and now they all have foundations themselves and they’re dedicated to helping other people. So that’s one of my proudest moments as a coach that because those guys were involved in helping people here and doing things in the community that had an impact to help someone else have a better quality of life, they chose to do that in their future.” 

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No. 1 Michigan will look to defend its top-seeded position against No. 2 Washington on Monday in Houston. Both teams fought off late comeback bids to advance past the semifinals and into the CFP National Championship.

READ: No. 2 Washington holds off No. 3 Texas 37-31 in Sugar Bowl CFP semifinal

The Wolverines used two rushing touchdowns scored by running back Blake Corum to boost themselves past the Crimson Tide in overtime of the Rose Bowl.

Across the country in New Orleans, Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies staved off Texas’ late comeback effort and held on to win 37-31.

Here are five takeaways from the CFP semifinals round.

Michgan’s defense came to play

The top scoring defense in college football proved its worth once again.

Michigan entered the Rose Bowl owning the No. 1 scoring defense holding opponents to less than 10 points per game.

The Wolverines, though, allowed more than their season average, and they had a stiff challenge in Alabama which had scored at least 17 points in every game this season.

But when it mattered, Michigan showed up in the key moments of the Rose Bowl.

Junior Colson and the Wolverines shut out the Crimson Tide in the third quarter and held them to 168 yards entering the fourth.

READ: Blake Corum’s TD in OT lifts No. 1 Michigan over No. 4 Alabama in Rose Bowl CFP semifinal

Michigan forced three punts in the second half as well as having picked up a fumble.

Michigan also forced four three-and-outs on four of the game’s first five drives. It allowed the Wolverines to go up 13-7 before they conjured up overtime magic to win the game.

In overtime, Michigan picked up the first touchdown after Corum ran 25 yards on two carries to give the Wolverines a lead.

Then, Michigan got stops on four-straight plays inside its 10-yard line, including the final one of the game that featured a low snap to Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who ran straight ahead into the tackle pile to end the game.

So when it mattered, Michigan’s defense stepped up. Now, the Wolverines will look to stop Penix and Washington, which boasts the No. 5 total offense and averages 332.9 yards per game.

Blake Corum proves he’s top running threat

The NCAA leader in rushing touchdowns with 24 entering the Rose Bowl, Corum provided the critical runs in overtime to help Michigan advance to its first CFP National Championship.

Corum entered the Rose Bowl without a receiving touchdown on the season. He caught his first of the campaign to put Michigan ahead first 7-0 on a route to the left as Corum waltzed into the end zone.

Corum averaged 4.4 yards per carry across 19 attempts. He totaled 83 rushing yards and 35 receiving yards, a season-high.

Corum may be reaching his peak performance this season. In each of his past five games, he’s averaged more than three yards per carry, and he’s scored a rushing touchdown in 14 consecutive games.

The Marshall, Virginia, native broke off his longest run of the game on his second carry, going 21 yards and converting the first down to position Michigan near midfield where it later scored on Corum’s 8-yard receiving touchdown.

Now, Corum and the Wolverines will take part in their first CFP National Championship.

Corum will enter the national title game the leader in total points responsible for. He’s up to 156 points on 26 touchdowns.

He’ll have his latest challenge against Washington, which allows 137.1 rushing yards per game good for No. 41 in college football. Corum and the Wolverines will be ready.

It’s hard to stop Michael Penix Jr.

The Heisman Trophy runner-up shined bright on the biggest stage.

Penix went off 29-for-38 and threw for 430 yards and two touchdowns. His performance was representative of his year this season as Penix leads college football with 4,648 passing yards.

READ: No. 8 Oregon hands No. 23 Liberty first loss 45-6 in Fiesta Bowl

Penix threw go-ahead touchdowns in the second and third quarters while he continued to pile up passing yards. He eclipsed 400 pass yards for a fourth time this season.

Perhaps Penix’s best quarter came in the third. Both Texas and Washington tied at 21 entering the second half, then Penix turned on.

The sixth-year quarterback went 12-for-13 for 118 yards and a touchdown. He began the second half 11-of-11, and his signature throw came on a 19-yard pass to Jalen McMillan.

Even the Longhorns couldn’t slow Penix, who is having a career year after knee and shoulder injuries plagued his career at Indiana.

Two seasons later at Washington, Penix is leading the Huskies to the national championship game.

Jalen Milroe will be a force to reckon with in 2024

Alabama went into the 2023 season with a new starting quarterback after former Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young was selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft.

Nick Saban turned to junior Jalen Milroe from Katy, Texas, and Milroe had been a four-star recruit as part of the class of 2021.

Milroe set out this season with a team mantra behind him: “Let a naysayer know.”

Milroe and the Crimson Tide put the college football world on notice after Alabama beat Georgia 27-24 in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, snapping the Bulldogs’ 29-game winning streak.

Leading up to the SEC title game, Milroe converted a key 4th and 31 play against Auburn in the Iron Bowl, helping Alabama keep on its path toward the CFP.

It’s clear Milroe has a clutch gene. He tried to make something out of a low snap on 4th and Goal at the end of overtime before he ultimately was tackled near the line of scrimmage.

But that doesn’t mean Milroe won’t be back for 2024.

He’s already announced his intention to return to Alabama and put off the NFL ahead of the 2024 season. It’ll give Saban a second-year starting quarterback to compete in an expanded SEC that will welcome Oklahoma and Texas to the conference.

Milroe totaled 2,834 passing yards, 23 touchdowns to six interceptions and compiled a 66% completion in 2023. Saban and Alabama will be in prime position to strike in the first 12-team Playoff with Milroe under center next year.

Special teams play was sloppy

Muffed punt here, muffed punt there.

There several combined muffed punts during the CFP semifinal round. They stung the likes of Michigan and Washington, yet cost neither team the game.

Even still, special teams must perform at the highest levels of the season in Playoff games.

READ: Reports: DJ Uiagalelei to transfer to Florida State

Near the end of the Rose Bowl, Michigan lined up for a punt return while Alabama punter James Burnip got ready. When he caught the snap and prepared to boot the football, disaster struck.

Michigan punt returner Jake Thaw muffed the punt near the goal line and he recovered it at the 1-yard line. Fortunately for the Wolverines, they ran the ball once before kneeling it out and opting for overtime.

In the Sugar Bowl, Washington punt returner Germie Bernard muffed a punt and the Longhorns fell on the football. It resulted in Texas going 22 yards down the field and Byron Murphy II scoring from 1 yard out to tie the game at 14 points apeice.

Both Michigan and Washington know the detriments of poor special teams play. They’ll have one week to fine tune and reload before meeting in the final CFP National Championship of the four-team Playoff era.

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