How has Nick Saban done this with Alabama football?
We just witnessed Nick Saban’s seventh national championship. Six of those rings have been with Alabama football. When you look at Saban’s legacy, it can be quantified in many ways. He has a crazy win percentage. He is near the top of the record books in just about every category. He has coached three Heisman winners. Still, he has one honor that is mind-boggling.
This championship cements that every recruiting class of Saban’s tenure at Alabama has won a national championship. There is nothing that comes close to that. Not only has every recruiting class seen at least one title, but many have seen two. Some lucky classes won three rings in four years. Also, Alabama still hasn’t gone three straight years without a national championship. That means that even players who leave early for the NFL Draft win at least one ring before moving on to the NFL.
When you recruit, you try not to make too many promises. The future is uncertain, and you don’t want to lie to a kid and his family about his future. That being said, Nick Saban could have promised every recruit a championship if they stayed in the program for at least three years.
It’s not even the fact that Saban had an impressive run with Alabama football. The best part is that it starts with his first recruiting class. In just two seasons, he turned an abysmal roster into a title contender. In his third season, he led the Crimson Tide to their 13th ring. 11 years later, he just led Alabama to their 18th title.
There is no doubt now that Nick Saban is the greatest head coach of all time. If he keeps this record until he inevitably retires, there will be no way that anyone will come close to approaching his greatness ever again. It feels wild to say that at the same school where Bear Bryant coached, but Saban has easily surpassed the Bear.
When you argue Nick Saban’s case for being the greatest head coach ever, this should be your first point. It should be your last point. It can be your only point. That’s how impressive this feat is.