How Nick Saban Can Still Help College Football in New Role

Even though he's retired and working in the media, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey spoke on the ways the former Alabama head coach will still be involved in the sport.

Jul 15, 2015; Birmingham, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban speaks to ESPN during SEC media day at the Wynfrey Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports / Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Things are a little different this time around at SEC Media Days for Nick Saban. He no longer gets in on face recognition alone as a head coach, but has to make sure he has on his credential as a media member. Instead of standing behind the podium to field questions, he has to sit out in the audience on the SEC Network set and hear questions asked about him.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey opened up the 2024 event at the podium on Monday before fielding questions and was asked about the ways Saban can still impact and help the sport even though he's retired from coaching.

Sankey joked that the first thing was helping college football avoid rat poison, but then got into more serious matters. The commissioner spoke with Saban days after his retirement announcement at Alabama, and Saban shared that he wanted to still be influential in the sport.

"One of the things I've found over time is Nick in many ways uniquely thought ahead on issues, provided really deep and clear insight, and he and I have had any number of conversations over -- this is my tenth year as commissioner, but I've been in the SEC for 23 years, and but for the two years he was with the Dolphins, were in conversation throughout those couple of decades," Sankey said. "So I think he can bring that clarity. I think he can bring an understanding that even I don't have dealing with these issues on the front lines as a head football coach, and I know he brings love of the game overall to an analysis."

"I have seen him engage in conversations already in a big picture problem solving way, and I hope that will continue, and he can evaluate my performance, since he's sitting in the room listening, my performance in answering that question."

While Saban has enjoyed some aspects of retirement, as shown on social media by his family, the longtime head coach has also still been actively involved in the football scene. He spoke to the Alabama football team before the A-Day game in April and also helped with NFL draft coverage back in his new role with ESPN. Saban also spoke to Congress in Washington D.C. back in March about NIL and some of the other issues facing college football.

"One of the things that I’ve tried to do since I retired was, what can I do to help college football?" Saban said. "What can I do to try to help whether it’s in congress or with commissioners or input from inside? How can we make it better? Because the spirit of the game is important to a lot of people and brings a lot of people together in a lot of ways.”

While Saban will no longer be roaming the sidelines and imposing fear on the field around the SEC, he still will play a major role for college football.