Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is 72 years old and is coming off an overtime loss in the Rose Bowl to the Michigan Wolverines, and his future is looking "complicated" to ESPN's Paul Finebaum.
Saban, a seven-time national championship, failed to secure a chance at getting his eighth when quarterback Jalen Milroe was tackled in overtime on a fourth down to end the game. And now, we wait to see what his plans are for 2024.
"It's complicated," Finebaum said via On3. "There were a lot of people who felt that if Saban put another title down? That would be his eighth, seventh at Alabama. Then that would be the ultimate time to walk away. But no one can really get inside of Nick Saban's head."
While Saban is 72, he does have an excellent crop of players set to join the program in 2024 and beyond. However, key players such as edge rusher Dallas Turner are headed for the NFL.
There's something to be said about Saban winning another championship and then walking off into the sunset. However, he failed to accomplish that this time around.
The Crimson Tide had a wild season after starting the year 1-1 with a loss to the Texas Longhorns. Then, in Week 3 against the University of Southern Florida, they sat starting quarterback Milroe, who then returned in Week 4. From there, they had other close calls but also some terrific performances for the team, including a four-touchdown day on the ground for Milroe against LSU later in the season.
They met the then-No. 1 seed Georgia Bulldogs in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game. They won 27-24, knocking the Bulldogs out of the College Football Playoff. They also forced Florida State — an undefeated team and the Atlantic Coast Conference champion — out of the playoff (with the Seminoles, of course, without starting quarterback Jordan Travis).
Now we wait to hear from Saban this offseason about whether he'll return in 2024.
