Nick Saban last coached a football game in January when Alabama football played in the Rose Bowl.
It’s been about half a year since that game, and in that time, Saban has retired from coaching and joined ESPN as a college football analyst.
Does he miss coaching?
“I miss relationships with players,” Saban said. “That part I miss. I think this thing that I’m doing now, like I did the (NFL) draft, I’m doing SEC Media Day, I’m going to do (College) GameDay in the fall, it keeps me involved in the game. I watch film, I make my own evaluations of players. So, the technical aspects of the game, I still do to some degree.”
Saban said he also misses relationships with the coaches, staff and everyone with whom he worked.
“But I also got to the point that it was difficult for me to sustain things the way I needed to sustain them to be satisfied with myself that I was doing a good job,” Saban said. “The last year was hard, so I said it’s maybe time for somebody else. I don’t regret that.”
Saban, 72, has been at SEC Media Days all week in Dallas providing commentary and interviewing coaches. His broadcast role will continue as a regular on College GameDay.
Saban retired after coaching the Crimson Tide for 17 seasons. He won six national championships in Tuscaloosa after the one he won at LSU.