Alabama Football: Building should be named after Nick Saban

Alabama football’s Nick Saban deserves a building in his name.

The University of Alabama has removed the names of two of their buildings this summer, which brings up a simple question. When will Nick Saban finally have a building named after him? With all of the success he brings to Alabama football, he deserves at least a building.

UA got close in the 2018-19 school year. There was a new dorm building that had not yet been named, and students took to calling it “Saban Hall.” Although it was eventually named after John England Jr., the original name has a nice ring to it.

There is no doubt that Nick Saban will eventually have half of the city of Tuscaloosa named after him for what he’s done with Alabama football. Bear Bryant has had a residence hall, a stadium, a road, and hundreds of dogs named after him over the years. Many might wait until Nick Saban retires before naming anything after him, but I believe that it should be done sooner rather than later.

Timing matters with an issue like this, though. You can’t just name any building after Nick Saban. The two buildings waiting to be named after someone are an honors building and a building for English classes. That would not fit Nick Saban’s Alabama football legacy. While the next athletic building might be named after him, there are other options in the meantime.

Bryant-Denny’s field

I know that Bryant-Saban Stadium might be a stretch, but the field itself could be named after Nick Saban. A close comparison would be how Cameron Indoor Stadium has Coach K Court. Krzyzewski coaches on a court named after him, and Nick Saban could do the same thing. Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium has a nice ring to it.

University Boulevard

University Boulevard is the street right in front of the stadium. The street behind the stadium is named after Paul Bryant, so it would be fitting to have the stadium bookended by streets named after both greats. Saban Street simply sounds right. If not this road, there are plenty on campus that could be renamed.

The city of Tuscaloosa

Okay, now I’m dreaming big. However, how could Alabama football lose a game if they played in the city of Saban, Alabama? Even if you can’t name the whole city, perhaps they could name the area of the campus itself. If UA can have its own police department, they should be able to name the area.

By the time this Alabama football era is over, practically everything will be named after Nick Saban. He deserves it all. He might get his own building or monument. No matter how many things are named after the Tide great, he will deserve even more.