Approaching Twilight Years, Nick Saban's Impact Lingers at Texas A&M And Across SEC Programs
There will come a day when Alabama's Nick Saban calls it quits. He'll clean out his illustrious office inside the Mal Moore Complex, looking at what comes next.
He'll return to his home on Lake Tuscaloosa, give a kiss to Ms. Terry, and ponder on what else he could accomplish. Likely between bites of an Oatmeal Creme Pie and sips of coffee, he'll realize he's done it all and then some.
Saban will one day walk away from the team pioneered into a dynasty for nearly two decades. He'll start to look beyond the Xs and Os of the sport. His impact, however, won't be forgotten in College Station with Texas A&M.
Or in Oxford with Ole Miss.
Or Athens with Georgia.
Do you see the picture?
Soon, someone will take over the mantle as perhaps the "next" Saban. In College Station, Jimbo Fisher is making the case after becoming the first former protege to take down Saban in a 41-38 upset last October.
Of course, to be the best, one must beat the best on the regular. They also must take on those who stand in their way of reaching immortality.
Fisher and the Aggies will have the chance not only to take on Saban and the Crimson Tide once more this fall, but other disciples of the seven-time national champion are on the docket as well.
This year, A&M is set to face Miami’s Mario Cristobal in September, Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin in October and Florida’s Billy Napier in November. The trio all spent time in Tuscaloosa with Saban during Alabama's 2015 title run. They too hope to follow the same path as Fisher on the way to the top of college football's peak once Saban hangs up the whistle and safari-style straw hat.
One thing Fisher has over all three coaches currently is stability in his program. He's entering his fifth season in Aggieland and has built a culture that also could be considered second to none. Kiffin is entering Year 3 in Oxford while both Napier and Cristobal are rookies in the Sunshine State.
Cristobal is a Miami native, so establishing a culture in the 305-area code is second nature. Napier might have the biggest climb coming from Louisiana to the SEC. It's best not to count him out yet since his vast knowledge helped lead the Ragin' Cajuns to a 40-12 record with two Sun Belt titles.
“I think each person that’s worked for him will tell you the same thing,” Napier said of Saban Wednesday at SEC Media Days. “He’s created opportunities for me because of the things that I learned from him.”
Kiffin, the offensive mastermind behind the 2015 national title over Clemson, echoed a similar sentiment.
"I would doubt that there's ever been a coach in any sport, college or professional that has had so many people under him that are at major jobs," Kiffin said Monday. "I mean, you're talking about top 25 jobs and I don't know if you've even counted five or six others."
Miami is currently in the ACC, but a close matchup against the Aggies for two years could entice SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey to inquire of its status once it becomes feasible. One thing Sankey has preached about college football expansion is geographical location, leading to Texas and Oklahoma being the two schools added to the conference in 2025.
Miami fits the criteria thanks to Florida. Could it work for Cristobal and Co.?
Those three are on A&M's schedule this season, but Saban's pipeline in the conference continues to grow. Kirby Smart is locked into Georgia for the long-term after agreeing to a 10-year extension Thursday.
Barring a complete disaster over the next two seasons, Steve Sarkisian will likely be at the helm of Texas when the Longhorns make their SEC debut. Both coaches spent time in Tuscaloosa as coordinators during title runs before departing to lead their own programs.
Fisher and Smart are the only two with wins against the master. At 70, Saban plans on keeping it that way until he decides the clock has struck midnight. Smart and Fisher could have other plans.
“We didn’t build this program on hoping for 1-year wonders or hoping for one opportunity,” Smart said. “This program was built to be here a long time.”
Surely Fisher agrees with Smart's findings and will try to duplicate the success on Oct.8 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Kiffin might have said it best when discussing how everyone takes something from the "Saban Coaching Clinic" and turns it into their own blueprint with cliff notes from summers in the southern sun.
Others agree.
“I think ultimately that’s what you try to take when you leave Alabama because you can’t try to be Nick Saban; there’s only one,” Sarkisian echoed at Big 12 Media Days. “You have to be a Steve Sarkisian. But the discipline and commitment that he has personally to that program that then he instills into his team and into his own organization is something that you try to emulate."
The legacy of Saban and his impact on the SEC will linger long after he's gone. Texas A&M is one of several programs ready to take over as the "next Alabama" with Fisher at the helm.
The same could be said about Smart and Georgia. Kiffin and Ole Miss. Sarkisian and Texas. Countless more are soon to follow.
Of course, Saban has to be ready to end his time coaching. He doesn't sound too keen on spending weekdays golfing just yet.
“What am I going to do if I retire?" Saban joked on SEC Network. "Because I love what I am doing right now, so how am I going to be happy?"
You can follow Cole Thompson on Twitter at @MrColeThompson
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