Nick Saban is the greatest head coach in college football history and also spent a few years in the National Football League. Needless to say, he knows a thing or two about the game.
It is a privilege to hear him share his knowledge!
Saban, who stepped down from his role at Alabama after the most dominant run of all-time, will join the College Gameday desk alongside Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee and Lee Corso in the fall. ESPN also gave the 72-year-old a trial run during the NFL Draft, which offered a small taste of what is to come. He is going to be a phenomenal addition to Saturday mornings.
To see him react to his former Crimson Tide players getting drafted was very cool.
Nick Saban looks like a proud father seeing Jermaine Burton getting drafted pic.twitter.com/FRgiZqzAVr
— MattBeGreat (@mattbegreatyt) April 27, 2024
However, it is Saban’s unique perspective that will set him apart as an analyst. Nobody else on the planet — except for maybe Bill Belichick — can bring the same point of view. Nobody has done what he has!
One particular moment of Friday night’s broadcast was especially interesting. Saban offered an in-depth breakdown of what he defined as “athletic instincts.” By that, he basically means that some people have a natural ability to excel in whatever sport he or she might play.
Saban explained that he can teach an athlete how to swing a bat or how to tackle. He cannot teach that same athlete when to swing a bat or when to tackle. He cannot teach instinct.
That is what separates great athletes from good athletes— their innate sense of the game.
Nick Saban explaining and defining athletic instincts is maybe the most fascinating thing I’ve ever heard.
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) April 27, 2024
All sports fans, listen to this: pic.twitter.com/5ch3CyRz66
Nick Saban coached 17 years in Tuscaloosa. That doesn’t include his stops at LSU or in the NFL, or his time as an assistant. He saw approximately 1,000 players go through his Alabama program.
To hear him explain why some of those guys went on to become Super Bowl champions and Pro Bowlers while others went undrafted or faded out of the sport all together is rather interesting. It is going to be very cool to have him on Gameday this fall.