Nick Saban, who spent 17 seasons at Alabama and won seven national championships, had the honor of coaching at one of college football’s most iconic venues. However, he admitted he didn’t always enjoy the experience.
Last week, LSU head coach Brian Kelly highlighted the significance of his team’s matchup against Alabama, noting that around 300 recruits and their families would be in Baton Rouge for the game. Unfortunately for LSU, the Tigers suffered a humiliating 42-13 loss to the Crimson Tide, leaving a poor impression.
During an appearance on *The Pat McAfee Show* on Friday, Saban discussed the challenges of hosting big games with recruits in attendance. He revealed that, as a coach, he actually preferred road games because the responsibilities surrounding home games in Tuscaloosa could be overwhelming.
“I was just saying on the way over here how much easier it was to coach on the road,” Saban explained. “If you had 300 recruits at the game, who talked to them? The coaches did. The head coach did. So Friday and Saturday were spent recruiting, which took away from focusing on the game. Then you’d ask a player, ‘Hey, can you go say hi to this recruit?’ Now the players are distracted, too, thinking about recruiting instead of the game. On the road, none of that happens.”
Saban also shared that he had to meet with Alabama alumni every Friday before home games in an event called “Nick at Noon.” While these commitments added to his workload, they were part of what made him such a successful coach.
Despite the added responsibilities, Saban managed them masterfully, contributing to his legacy as one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. Balancing events like “Nick at Noon” with leading a championship-caliber team is what sets legendary coaches like Saban apart, even if those tasks weren’t always enjoyable.
