Nick Saban explains why he is willing to lend advice to former coaches

As Nick Saban prepares for his 31st game against one of his former assistant coaches, much has been made about his record in those games. He’s won 28 matchups against coaches who previously worked under him at Alabama, including last year’s victory over Texas and Steve Sarkisian.

That doesn’t mean Saban won’t look out for those branches of his coaching tree. Even though he has a 0.933 winning percentage against ex-assistants, he continues to make himself available to help them out if they ask.

His reasoning is simple. Even despite all the changes in college football — from conference realignment to the evolution of NIL and the transfer portal — Saban said the goal needs to remain the same.

“It’s how can you help develop players?” Saban said on The Pat McAfee Show ahead of Saturday’s rematch with Sarkisian. “I don’t care what we do in college football. We can have name, image and likeness, we can have conference realignment. But still, college football has to be about developing players and helping them be more successful in life because they were involved in your program. That’s what it’s all about and that’s what it’s got to continue to be. And anybody I can help do that, I’m willing to do.”

Nick Saban on giving advice to former assistants: ‘I’ve always been a guy that shares information’

Despite his dominance against his former assistants — the only two losses came to Kirby Smart in 2021 — Saban makes himself available whenever they need. He pointed out some of his mentors in his coaching journey, including Bill Belichick, for whom he worked from 1991-94 with the Cleveland Browns.

He wants to help out in a similar way with those who worked for him in the past.

“Any time any former assistant who is now a head coach or an assistant who has become a coordinator will call and ask for advice, I’m always willing to give them advice,” Saban said. “Because I didn’t really invent anything in this game. I’ve always just learned from somebody else. I had some great mentors, now. George Perles, Bill Belichick. I had some great mentors along the way who I had the opportunity to learn from. So I’ve always been a guy that shares information.”

But there’s an important catch.

“Now, that doesn’t mean I’m ever going to share information that’s going to give somebody an advantage when we play them,” Saban joked.

Nick Saban will look for his 29th victory against a former staff member when Sarkisian and Texas make the trip to Tuscaloosa. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET from Bryant Denny Stadium.

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