Although Nick Saban won’t be coaching Alabama this year, the team still has a chance to excel. ESPN’s Greg McElroy vehemently defended the Crimson Tide on Monday, outlining the reasons why they will rank among the top teams in the nation come 2024.
“A lot of people wish to exclude Alabama from this conversation. I can appreciate it because Nick Saban is so well-liked, McElroy remarked. However, this is what I’ve kind of realised. It is possible to have faith in Nick Saban and his accomplishments while simultaneously realising that Alabama, under Kalen DeBoer, may still be a strong team in the future.
Giving Kalen DeBoer his roses does not diminish Nick Saban’s accomplishments. People are probably struggling with that at the moment. Following a 25-3 record at Washington over the previous two years, Kalen DeBoer is in high form. In NAIA, he finished 67-3. He is 37-9 as a head coach in Division I. He has a 12-2 record while against ranked opponents at Fresno State and Washington. And he only had ten players selected by the NFL. I believe he is competent in his field.
DeBoer’s track record is quite impressive. He led Washington to its first national championship berth in the College Football Playoff era and won the Pac-12 last season. Even with his exceptional talent, DeBoer will still have a number of challenges in his first season at Alabama.
Ahead of Kalen DeBoer is hurdles
In On3’s Transfer Portal squad Rankings, the squad is ranked No. 57 after losing 34 players to the transfer portal during the offseason. According to ESPN, Alabama will only be able to produce 44% of what it did the previous season.
DeBoer did, however, retain the Crimson Tide’s 2024 recruiting class. In the 2017 season, Alabama’s roster will include 26 freshmen, including five-star talents like Jaylen Mbakwe, the cornerback, and wide receiver Ryan Williams.
“In terms of depth, I do believe Alabama is possibly on thinner ice,” McElroy remarked. However, they are still on par with everyone else in the conference at their best. Even at their best, they can compete with almost anyone in the sport.
Veterans like offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, linebacker Deontae Lawson, and quarterback Jalen Milroe still make up Alabama’s “best.” Not to mention, Alabama added a number of outstanding transfers, such as Germie Bernard, a former wide receiver for Washington, and Domani Jackson, a former cornerback for USC.
Alabama’s 2024 campaign will begin on August 31 at 7 p.m. ET with a matchup against Western Kentucky. ESPN will televise the match.
Jenny Dell, Brad Nessler, and Nick Saban reflect on their last “Hey Coach” radio episodes. ns_headshot_2024-clear by: Nick Schultz • 07/28/24 • NickSchultz_7
Jenny Dell and Nick Saban on a Hey Coach radio program
The screen grab is provided by Alabama Athletics. Indianapolis, IN Jenny Dell sat down next to Eli Gold at Baumhower’s Victory Grille on October 19, 2023.
Thursday night in Tuscaloosa was leading up to a big game that would take place within CBS’s much-coveted 3:30 p.m. ET timeslot. As Alabama faced Tennessee, Dell was on the call along with Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson.
But Tuscaloosa had a tremendous night on Thursday night of game week. At that time, Gold and Nick Saban appeared on his “Hey Coach” radio program. Dell received the call that week to be the media guest on the show, as was customary.
She didn’t realise that it would be her last time sitting next to Saban for the show, and neither did most people. After the season, the illustrious coach announced his retirement, ending a 50-year coaching career. With nostalgia, Dell recalled how that evening’s help from her time getting to know Saban.
“I believe that the thing about Nick Saban is that he will undoubtedly always be around. When it comes to collegiate football, he is here to stay. Dell said, “You have such respect for that man,” during Big Ten Media Days to On3. And the respect just increases as you get to know him better on a human basis.
There’s a component of trust there. You put a lot of effort into developing a rapport with these coaches so they understand that you’re a respected person in addition to someone who works hard and has good intentions.
“I didn’t see the retirement coming,” said Brad Nessler.
Following Alabama’s bye week, which also happened to be Saban’s birthday, which was commemorated during Dell’s presence on the show, CBS once more featured a Crimson Tide game. On November 4, the Crimson Tide Sports Network once again went to the broadcast team for their media guest on “Hey Coach” because LSU was visiting the area.
On November 2, Nessler, the primary play-by-play commentator for CBS, assumed the centre seat for “Hey Coach and the Nick Saban Show.” He wasn’t alone, though. Nancy, his wife, came along for the game and ended up joining him that evening at Baumhower’s for the show. Her chair? directly across from Miss Terry.
In Atlanta, a few weeks following his radio program appearance, Nessler ran across Saban once more. As he was getting ready for the SEC Championship, the coach had one final item to say in a production meeting.
That turned out to be the final time Nessler spoke with Saban as an active coach, even though he was unaware of it at the time.
Nessler remarked, “I took my wife to that game, so it was weird.” As we worked on the presentation, she sat down in front with Miss Terry. During the timeouts, when Nick usually gets up to shoot pictures and other things, we all got together for a little while.
“A few weeks later, he returned to the SEC Championship and we were having our final meeting. As he was leaving, he turned around and said, ‘By the way, Miss Terry really had fun with Miss Nancy.'” That was the last physical statement he made to me, and I haven’t seen him since. And he pivoted and departed. I didn’t speak to him again after that. Therefore, to answer your question, I did not anticipate retiring.
“We’re looking at a different animal right now.”
During the 2023 season, Saban’s new side was seen by both media and fans. Perhaps an indication that his coaching career was coming to an end, he was laughing more and cracking jokes. Nessler, though, had a distinct perspective. He witnessed the effects that the shifting terrain had on the best coach in history.
Nessler recognised the potential influence of working with a coach who resigned in recent years on Saban’s decision to leave the position.
Having spoken with him five or six times over the past year, you can tell that NIL and the site, among other things, are a problem that affects more people than just him. Nessler remarked, “I’ve seen it wear on coaches.” “I currently work on basketball with Jay Wright. Coach K and Roy Williams exited.
“I believe that many trainers will become depleted from the enjoyable and instructive aspects of it, among other things. We’re now looking at a different animal.
Naturally, Saban isn’t giving up on college football completely. This year, he’ll be a mainstay on College GameDay alongside Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Pat McAfee, and officially back player Rece Davis.
However, this autumn, Thursday nights at Baumhower’s will appear very different.