Nick Saban confirmed his status as a college football coaching legend after nearly two decades leading the Alabama Crimson Tide. He might be just as good at his new job, too.
After his shocking retirement from Alabama in 2024, Saban joined ESPN’s “College GameDay” broadcasts as an analyst. The seven-time national champion quickly won over fans with his humorous, no-nonsense takes on the state of college football — and as such, he has been nominated for an Emmy Award, in the Outstanding Personality/Emerging On-Air Talent category.
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In discussing his nomination, he was quick to credit the work of others for helping him cultivate a magnetic presence on television.
“We’ve got a really good team of people who had a lot of experience that I think helped me fit into the program,” Saban explained. “It’s always an honor to be nominated for anything, but there’s always so many people that contribute to it.”
Known for his intensity and skill in recruiting, Saban won six of his seven national titles over a 17-year stint at Alabama. Saban accrued a 201-29 win-loss record and won five SEC titles in establishing a new era in Tuscaloosa, so it was considered quite a coup when ESPN landed him for “College GameDay” a month after he announced his retirement on January 10, 2024.
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Saban will find out Tuesday night in New York City whether he can add an Emmy to his already-impressive trophy cabinet. His competition includes Jason Kelce (also of ESPN), CBS/TNT’s Jay Wright, and Amazon Prime Video duo Ryan Fitzpatrick and Richard Sherman. Even if Saban does not win, it is already clear that the coaching legend is a natural presence on television who will have a big role in ESPN’s NCAA football coverage for years to come.
Related: Former Alabama QB Reveals Why Kalen DeBoer’s Nine Win Season Was a Success
