Times Keep Changing in Recruiting, Nick Saban Keeps Adapting
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — His most recent birthday was his 70th. He's from the baby boomers generation, which if the word "boomer" is used by a high schooler, it's normally in a negative context.
Yet, Nick Saban is not only still able to relate to high schoolers, he consistently brings in exactly the ones he wants and knows will do best in his program. Just like Wednesday's 22 signees on Early Signing Day that resulted in Alabama finishing with the No. 1 overall class yet again.
College football changed the signing day from early February to mid-December, completely shifting the recruiting calendar and forcing coaches to do more in-season recruiting, and Saban finds ways to adapt.
"We also said that, and many people said, that when we had an early signing date that it would become the signing date, and I think a lot of players now gear their whole recruiting process to make an early decision," Saban said.
"Can't really say that that's a good thing or a bad thing. We just adapted to it and try to do the best we can having earlier visits, having more visits during the season. And then spend more time in January on the few prospects that are left and you know, junior recruiting for the next class."
National Signing Day is still on Feb. 2, but because of the Early Signing Day on Feb. 15, the majority of high-level recruits make a final decision much earlier. So while Saban and Georgia coach Kirby Smart were gearing up for the SEC Championship the first week of December, other coaching staffs around the conference and country could fully devote that time to recruiting.
Another big change in college football as a whole, but that has also made huge impact on recruiting is the new legislation and NCAA rules surrounding name, image and Likeness. (NIL is not to be confused with NLI- national letter of intent.)
It is technically against NCAA rules for college coaches to use NIL has part of recruiting pitches because that would essentially be pay for play. Players are supposed to have to earn it once they get in on campus. Whether a recruit or an active player, the universities are not allowed to make deals for players. It has to be mediated by someone else.
On Wednesday, when the nation’s top recruit, Travis Hunter, flipped from Florida State to play for Deion Sanders at FCS and HBCU Jackson State, rumors started flying all over the Internet that he had signed an NIL deal or deals in seven figures to go play for the Tigers. Nothing was ever confirmed Hunter, but that was not the only time that NIL was brought up on Wednesday when talking about players' decisions.
"Look, the dynamics of recruiting have changed," Saban said. "We're not supposed to use name, image and likeness as something that influences a player to choose a school. It's something that he should earn after he enrolls in the school.
"I'm not going to make any comments about who did what or what happened out there in recruiting. But all's I know is we want to have the best program that we can in name, image and likeness when they get here as players so they can create and develop value for themselves so that they get opportunities to have additional income when it comes to name, image and likeness. I was very pleased with how our players did this year and hopefully we'll continue to expand on that in the future."
Back in July, Saban told a group of high school coaches in Texas that Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was nearing seven figures in NIL deals, and that was before he had even taken a snap as the starting quarterback of the Crimson Tide. That value has increased significantly after his Heisman trophy-winning season.
All coaches and athletic departments, not just Saban, are still wading through the best and most effective ways to use NIL that still stay within the boundaries set up.
As thorough as Saban is in everything he does, you can trust that he is making sure Alabama is taking full advantage of what it can do for the program.
The NCAA also changed transfer rules so that with the transfer portal, players no longer have to sit out one year. This benefits the players, but Saban warned that it would basically create free agency in college football. That didn't mean that he wasn't going to use it to make his team better though.
Alabama went and got two of the best players from the portal over the offseason in Jameson Williams from Ohio State and Henry To'oTo'o from Tennessee, and both guys have made a significant impact on this year's Crimson Tide team. On Wednesday, Alabama added one of the best players from the 2020 cycle in LSU DB Eli Ricks.
Whether it's NIL deals, the transfer portal or even having to recruit through a pandemic with no on-campus or in-person visits, Saban and Co. find a way to recruit at the highest level.
"Basically what I do is try to adapt to whatever the circumstance and whatever the situation that we have, but you know, we made a decision to move up the recruiting calendar significantly several years ago," Saban said. "Guys visiting in the summertime and I think all that sort of married up to having an early signing date. We've just adapted to that and done the best that we can."
Well the best they can do, turns out to be pretty good.
