Nick Saban on the ABC set during the 2024 NFL Draft. Photo by Joshua R. Gateley / ESPN Images
College FootballESPNBy Sam Neumann on

Every time a former head coach — or a former player, for that matter — makes their media debut, the headline usually reads “rave reviews,” only for some to not necessarily agree with that opinion. That’s okay; not every analyst is for everyone, but knowing how hard it is to be on television, it’s typically hard not to impress in your debut.

And Nick Saban did that and more.

This wasn’t Saban’s debut on ESPN; he had done previous work while still the head coach at the University of Alabama. He also made his debut on ABC’s coverage of the 2024 NFL Draft with the network. But this was his inaugural appearance on College GameDay as a full-fledged analyst, sharing the screen with familiar faces like Rece Davis, Pat McAfee, Kirk Herbstreit, and Desmond Howard. And he didn’t disappoint.

Don’t just take our word for it, either.

Here are some highlights from Saban’s debut:

And then, not even 20 minutes in, Saban was having fun with Florida State fans while trying to absolve himself and Kirk Herbstreit of blame.

“He didn’t have anything to do with them not getting in the playoff, and I didn’t either.”

Then, Saban had a mea culpa, not apologizing for how he treated the media — and boy, he could be prickly — but understanding that he’s become what he once hated, or at least accosted. The transition has been seamless, and the self-actualization here is absolutely priceless.

“You know, I spent my entire coaching career accosting people who speculate, make predictions, and ask hypothetical questions. Now I’m in this world. This is my gig, and it’s hard.”

Alyssa Lang of ESPN and the SEC Network also had a great response to this.

Later in the show, Saban discussed the transfer portal in detail. While the portal may be good for Saban’s new career path, Verne Lundquist believes it ultimately drew the legendary head coach into retirement. Regardless, Saban sounded off about the pandora’s box that’s transcended college football and got quite honest about his dealings with it.

“When I retired, there were people camped out at Tuscaloosa to get players to go in the portal. So, if they wanted to look at somebody tampering, they should’ve done a little investigation right there.”

But he also showed that he isn’t afraid to talk about the literal Elephant in the room — his Crimson Tide — either. He talked about Kalen DeBoer being his successor, and with it being Week 0, there’s not much for him to praise or be critical of, but it’ll be interesting to see how he navigates those waters once they come about.

“I went and watched last week’s scrimmage… that team still has the same culture they had when I was the coach.”

On the SEC: “I see 6 or 7 teams that have a chance to win this, but somebody has to prove they can beat Georgia.”

Perhaps that somebody could be the coach who took over for him in Tuscaloosa.

Then, Saban (and Kirk Herbstreit) shared their 12-team College Football Playoff predictions. Saban notably didn’t pick Alabama to win the SEC, but he did include the Crimson Tide as the No. 7 seed. The segment also featured the 72-year-old Saban saying, “ate out,” on live TV.

There’s an entire college football season ahead after Week 0, but Saban has already made a name for himself in the media. It’ll be interesting to see how he navigates the waters of analyzing his former team, Alabama, without bias. It’ll also be worth watching his growth as a media personality and whether he can maintain his initial charm and insight.

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann