Alabama’s New Era Contends With NIL—and Nick Saban Rumors

ATLANTA — As rumors swirl about Nick Saban considering a return to coaching, his replacement at Alabama is feeling the pressure—on and off the field—heading into Year 2 since succeeding the legend.

“We fell short,” Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer said Wednesday at SEC media days. The Crimson Tide went 9–3 in the regular season and missed the College Football Playoff.

Saban, who led Alabama to six national championships, retired after the 2023 season. At the time, he was the highest-paid coach in college football, with an $11.4 million salary. However, that number has since been surpassed by several coaches. DeBoer is entering the second season of an eight-year, $87 million contract.

On Monday, former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy caused a stir when he said that a “very much in-the-know person” thought Saban, 73, would return to coaching. Saban spent last season working for ESPN, and also made $500,000 in an advisory role for Alabama. 

“The game is better with him involved, and he is involved,” said Georgia coach Kirby Smart, who was defensive coordinator at Alabama under Saban until 2015. “He is passionate about it.”

Can the Tide Roll Again?

DeBoer is tasked with keeping Alabama’s dominant run going as the school tries to keep up with its high-spending rivals, while NIL (name, image, and likeness) money continues to complicate college football.

In December, Alabama AD Greg Byrne released a letter to fans, calling on them “to fight back” and help fund the Crimson Tide’s official NIL collective, Yea Alabama. “A university can succeed if their fans purchase authentic NIL from student-athletes,” Byrne wrote.

On Wednesday, DeBoer credited Byrne’s strategy in the shifting landscape of college sports. “His foresight is critical—going back to when I first got here, a year ago—on what it might look like with it evolving on the evolution of what college athletics looks like today,” DeBoer said.