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Nick Saban Was Reportedly Interested In Leaving Alabama For The Texas Job In 2013
© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
While on the Your Turn with Corby Davidson podcast, Texas megabooster Tom Hicks said on the Alabama,a head coach Nick Saban had reached out to the Longhorns through agent Jimmy Sexton following the 2012 season. He was curious about what Texas’ post-Mack Brown plans were. Hmm...
quote:

“Another regent and I had the conversation with Saban’s agent and he said, ‘If Saban was a business guy, he’d be what you would call a turnaround artist. He’s not a longterm CEO. Fix it, win and go on. He knows he will never catch Bear Bryant’s legacy in Alabama, but he’d like to create his legacy that he’s won national championships at more schools than anybody else. He’s done it at LSU and Alabama, and he knows he can win a national championship at Alabama; he knows he can,’” Hicks said.

“We had lunch and I thought at the time he was ready to leave,” Hicks said. “He’d been telling people he was ready to leave. So I said, ‘Mack, I want to tell you about a conversation I had with Jimmy Sexton. If you want to retire, I think you can graciously have Nick Saban come in and take your place and have it be your idea. That might be a nice way for you to end it.’

“Mack Brown turned bright red. Steam started coming out of his ears, and he said, ‘That guy is not coming here to win a national championship with my players.’ I said, ‘Mack, I’m glad to see you have that passion. I didn’t think you had that passion left.”
(The Spun)
Filed Under: Alabama Sports

Comments

35 Comments
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"He knows he will never catch Bear Bryant’s legacy in Alabama". He already has.
Reply53 months
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They were just puttimg pressure on mack. Its a tool they use to motivate the help.
Reply53 months
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frick you Mack Brown.
Reply53 months
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This was about the time that Sexton floated the "10 years, $100 million" or thereabouts. It was the worst kept secret in college football. Saban's sticking point was he wanted to pick the next AD.
Reply53 months
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Granted, this discussion allegedly took place in 2012, but 2019 will be his 13th season, and he's not a "long-term guy?" As an Auburn fan, I wish he never had to leave. Granted, he's going to beat you a lot, but when you beat him, it can be part of a really strong case that your team should be "in the big show." Really hard to argue with his success.
Reply53 months
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Didn't know the cuck Corby had a podcast.
Reply53 months
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This article is emblematic of journalism in 2019.
Reply53 months
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People who act like Saban has it easy at Alabama is kidding themselves. Moving on to the next project is so much easier for someone like Saban. Sustaining and keeping players from becoming complacent is a much harder job. I don't like Bama but kudos to Saban for establishing another dynasty at Alabama.
Reply53 months
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This was five years ago. Why is this even reported? Just leave the man st peace. He is an excellent coach and Alabama should be happy he didn’t leave. His hands are getting heavy from all the rings. And this is from a Clemson fan
Reply53 months
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There’s no doubt he is miserable in Alabama. But he’s also the type of person that isn’t content unless they’re miserable.
Reply53 months
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zzzZZZZZzzzzzZZZZzzzzzz
Reply53 months
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Old news when we learned his wife was looking at houses over there
Reply53 months
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We already knew that
Reply53 months
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Does anyone actually believe that Hicks had Saban all but signed to coach at Texas, but didn't make it happen because he wanted Mack Brown to leave on his own terms? Hicks would have shot Brown in the face and pissed on his corpse if Saban had agreed to come to Austin.
Reply53 months
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Like Mack Brown could have stopped them from hiring Saban. Give me a break.
Reply53 months
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The conversation Hicks said he had with Sexton was in 2012 and Saban was interested that year. Remember the ad Deloss Dodds didn't step down until Nov 2013. I think Dodds was still protecting Mack up until his last day. Hicks went on to say once the FB coach position was open in 2013 Saban was feed up with rumors and Sexton wouldnt return calls. I think had Mack decided to step down after 2012, Texas had a chance to get Saban. But Mack would have had to step down. His buddy Dodds had no intentions on firing Mack.
53 months
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could have and did. Mack's buddy was his attorney Joe Jamail. You may recognize that name, the UT field and many buildings on campus were named after Joe. Texas was in transition both in President and AD & Jamail came in screeming to the defense of Brown. It was enough for Saban to pull away and the narcissistic pussy Mack Brown resigned the day after Saban extended his Bama contract. You haven't and won't see Mack Brown affiliated or honored very often in Austin... that bitch ruined his legacy with his childish petulance on the way out.
53 months
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Of course Brown didn't stop them from pursuing Saban. Joe Jamail did. And he did so by flexing nuts around Hicks and Wallace Hall. This quote is simply Hicks trying to save face but the honest truth is that Jamail is more "important" financially to the university so he got his way.
53 months
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Sounds like Tom Hicks is using this to make Texas look good. I think he wants to make it appear as though the UT Board had the deal done and Mack Brown stopped it. I think he is doing this to dispel the long-existing talk that the worst thing about the Texas job is that the board and boosters want control.
Reply53 months
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I don't think Hicks tried to make Texas look good. There is another part of the podcast where the interviewer ask if they tried to contact Sexton again after Mack stepped down. Hicks plainly said Sexton wouldn't answer his calls anymore after a UT regent leaked the story to the media. Hicks said as soon as the regent leaked the story Saban was done. If anything this podcast makes UT look worse. They could of had Saban if they keep their mouth shut. One regent couldn't so Saban was off the table.
53 months
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Didn't you hear? Texas' Back.
53 months
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This is just Tom Hicks in a desperate attempt to make Texas relevant. Truly, nothing to see here.
Reply53 months
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Sounds like Sexton did a great job for his client.
Reply53 months
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This story is 110% false. Never happened.
Reply53 months
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I'm not sure how you know that. But Hicks plainly says he was talking to Sexton. Then another regent leaked the story to the media and Saban was done.
53 months
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imagine how different college football would be if Saban had gone to Texas? Crazy.
Reply53 months
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He would have made Texas better immediately
53 months
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