Is Nick Saban Worried About the State of College Football?

Even in retirement, the former Alabama football head coach is one of the most powerful voices in the sport of college football.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with legendary Alabama football coach Nick Saban before delivering a special commencement address to University of Alabama graduates at Coleman Coliseum on May 1, 2025. Graduation occurs over the weekend. / Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.–– While he may have been getting ready to play golf on Wednesday at the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Nick Saban's post-coaching retirement has been anything but typical. Instead of kicking up his feet at the beach or lake, Saban immediately transitioned into working as a college football analyst on ESPN's "College GameDay."

Now, Saban has reportedly been tasked with being on President Donald Trump's college sports commission to help solve some of the problems plaguing college football, namely surrounding NIL and the transfer portal. However, the former Alabama football head coach said on Wednesday that he, "doesn't know much" about the commission.

"I don’t really know what this commission would do," Saban said. "I think we know what needs to be done. I just think we’ve got to figure out who has the will to do it. You know, I learned one thing about coaching all these years is that when you get into a subject like this that’s very complex, it’s probably good not to talk about it off the cuff. So, I’ll find out more about it."

Saban introduced Trump earlier this month at a commencement event for the University of Alabama. The two met while the president was in Tuscaloosa to discuss some of the issues surrounding college athletics.

Regardless of how far Saban has gotten into discussions with national leaders about fixing college football, the longtime college coach wants to do whatever he can to improve the game.

"If there’s something I can do to help college football be better, I’m always going to be committed to do that," he said. "I was committed to do that as a coach to help players be more successful in life, and I continue to do that now.”

Saban said he is "not really" worried about the game of college football.

"I mean, I think there’s always things we can do to improve it, and I know there’s a lot of people out there that are concerned about the direction that we’re headed in, but I also know there’s a lot of good people out there that can do the type of things we need to do to get it moving in the right direction."

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