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Nick Saban Had NSFW Line on Failing to Recruit Oregon’s Tez Johnson While at Alabama

The ex-Alabama coach has some regrets, clearly.

Kristen Wong

Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Former Alabama coach Nick Saban has at least one regret since parting ways with the Crimson Tide a year ago.

Saban was on ESPN’s College GameDay on Wednesday discussing the upcoming slate of bowl games, including Oregon’s matchup against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl at 5 p.m. ET. While the ex-Bama coach has enjoyed watching Oregon star wide receiver Tez Johnson, he may have been happier watching the 22-year-old star play with the Crimson Tide instead.

Johnson, who was born in Birmingham, Ala., went to play for Troy University for three years before transferring to Oregon. Coming off a 1,000-receiving yard campaign for the Ducks in 2023, Johnson helped Oregon become the lone undefeated team in the 12-team playoff this winter.

In light of Johnson’s success on the west coast, Saban appeared to want to kick himself over not recruiting the talented wideout back when he was at Bama:

“What I'm sitting here thinking about is Tez Johnson's in Birmingham, 45 minutes away from Alabama,” Saban said. “We didn't recruit the guy. Who was recruiting Birmingham? And I should have fired their a--.”

Johnson just capped off one of the best games of his college career in the Big Ten title win against Penn State, when he reeled in 11 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown, and he will likely play another big role in Wednesday’s Rose Bowl clash against the Buckeyes.

Oregon is back in the College Football Playoff field for the first time since 2014, when the Ducks lost to Ohio State in the national championship game.

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Kristen Wong
KRISTEN WONG

Kristen Wong is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. She has been a sports journalist since 2020. Before joining SI in November 2023, Wong covered four NFL teams as an associate editor with the FanSided NFL Network and worked as a staff writer for the brand’s flagship site. Outside of work, she has dreams of running her own sporty dive bar.

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