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Nick Saban Explains His 'Biggest Concern' With Realignment

by Larry Leo

July 12, 202238 Comments

While speaking to ESPN's Greg McElroy on Monday, Alabama head coach Nick Saban explained the one thing that concerns him with all this realignment in college football...

quote:
“My biggest concern is competitive balance,” Saban said on the Always College Football podcast. “The NFL—which I was involved in for eight years—every rule they have is to create competitive balance and if they could have every team go 8–8 so at the end of a season every team was playing their last game to get in the playoffs they would be ecstatic. Because how much fan interest does that create?

“We don’t have any guardrails on what we’re doing right now,” he continued. “We have no restrictions on who can do what. Some people are gonna be capable of doing certain things other people aren’t going to be capable. But the bottom line is we’ll lose competitive balance. Which everything we’ve always done in college football is to maintain competitive balance. Same scholarship, everyone had to play by the same rules whether it was recruiting or whatever. Right now that’s not how it is.”

Filed Under: Alabama Sports

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Comments

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Kiawah Tiger

He's absolutely right. But even more. Once it's only the SEC and the BIGWhatever producing competitive teams, those leagues will end up splintering to create 4 competitive leagues.

Reply•15 months

Kiawah Tiger

He's absolutely right. But even more. Once it's only the SEC and the BIGWhatever producing competitive teams, those leagues will end up splintering to create 4 competitive leagues.

Reply•15 months

TailbackU

Maybe he will encourage a couple DB’s and LB’s to transfer tous this year then!

Reply•15 months

LSUtoBOOT

Textbook definition of hypocrisy.

Reply•15 months

BayouBengal99

Competitive balance my ass. Two faced POS. Where were these concerns when the scales were tipped completely in your favor??? Never heard a peep out of your mouth so shut your mouth now. It’s all self preservation. You could care less about the college game. This dude had some balls man.

Reply•15 months

FowlGuy

I respect coach Saban for everything he has done over his career, but we have to stop asking his opinion about a level playing field and paying players. It’s ridiculous.

Reply•15 months

RandySavage

I hate pretty much everything going on in college football right now but there is no way the "competitive balance" can be any worse than it is right now.

Reply•15 months

skiboman1

He does what they allow him to do. So what?!?

Reply•15 months

Tiger1988

Geez. He will retire at the e end of this year.

Reply•15 months

panzer

these words from Saban perfectly illustrate the age we're living in where anyone can say anything and it be taken as a serious statement. As if he give a crap about parity or balance in college football at the school that cheated so badly that they created the 85 scholarship limit - total hogwash from Saban the magnificent.

Reply•15 months

chalmetteowl

Saban in college football is not just “anyone” and he’s not saying just “anything”

15 months

CDawson

If it doesn’t favor Bama, Saban doesn’t like it.

Reply•15 months

Easye921

That's total horshite and you know it

15 months

Easye921

He was never a fan of the hurry up offenses or the transfer portal. He just adapted and me it work.

15 months

momentoftruth87

Coach of one school says…

Saban is GOAT but nobody cares as Bama has a yuge competitive advantage currently. He don’t want to lose it.

Reply•15 months

Ponchy Tiger

While his words are correct coming from him it is a joke. He has a competitive advantage over everyone.

Reply•15 months

barry

Like spending 100's of millions on facilities and coaches?

Reply•15 months

"Biggest concern" or "Tall order"
See, cuz he's a fricking midget...

Reply•15 months

imjustafatkid

As with everything Saban says, all of the people knocking him now will eventually have to admit he is correct.

Reply•15 months

NOSTRODAMUS

BS. He only cares about what allows Bama to cakewalk to the CFP. Realignment means jack shite in the grand scheme of things. It needs to be done for travel purposes for schools and fans. That’s it. Rivalries will take care of themselves.

15 months

Texaggie96

People tend to remember the things in his favor and ignore his bad takes. Remember when Saban predicted no huddle offenses would cause more injuries, then after failing to get it banned, used it himself. That either means he was fos, or a cold blooded sob willing to risk his players lives.

15 months

MrAUTigers

"Same scholarship, everyone had to play by the same rules whether it was recruiting or whatever".

didn't the NCAA create the "bump" rule because saban would just happen to "bump" into a HS player, on their HS campus" during the dead period?

15 months

ThurlNoonkester

What did he say after the interview when he thought the mike was off an no phones were around? That will tell you what he really thinks. This? This was all for show.

Reply•15 months

tigerbite2

Saban laughs all the way to the bank....

15 months

boosiebadazz

What has Mark Emmett done to earn a paycheck in the last two years? He’s literally said “frick it”, there are no rules, do what you want. Except you, Will Wade, frick you

Reply•15 months

Texaggie96

It's humorous that he points to the NFL as being competitively balanced. I believe we all know how Nick faired when he was in the NFL. He's never wanted competitive balance, he just doesn't want to lose his recruiting edge.

Reply•15 months

lsusteve1

NIL will affect Saban's reign more than anything and he knows this.

Reply•15 months

long reign for a short king.

15 months

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