Nick Saban: Alabama Passed on Zach Smith Hire After Background Check

Ex-Ohio State coach Urban Meyer urged Smith to stay with the Buckeyes in text messages from January 2018.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban said he did not offer a coaching position to former Ohio State assistant Zach Smith following a background check in 2018.

"When we did a background check, we decided it was better to hire someone else," Saban told the media at a press conference on Saturday.

Smith was fired from the Buckeyes' staff in July 2018 after an order of protection was filed against him by his ex-wife Courtney. Smith was previously investigated for assault and domestic violence against his ex-wife. 

Ohio State released 2,000 text messages between Smith and former Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer on Friday. The texts revealed conversations between Meyer and Smith in January 2018, insinuating that Saban had already offered Smith a position after the 2017 season. 

"Zach Smith was offered wr/passing game [coordinator] job at Alabama," Meyer wrote in a text in January 2018. "I told him to stay and he turned it down." 

Meyer retired from coaching following the 2018 season. Saban and the Crimson Tide reached their fourth straight College Football Playoff in 2018, losing to Clemson in the national championship.