Article Retraces Saban Retirement and DeBoer Hiring

[DayDay]

This is a good read for those who may be interested; pretty lengthy. I've copied a few quotes.

Inside Nick Saban's decision to retire, Alabama's pursuit of Kalen DeBoer and a week that changed college football

A behind-the-scenes look at Nick Saban's stunning retirement, the Tide's quick succession process and Kalen DeBoer's decision to follow the GOAT.

www.espn.com

"I want to be clear that wasn't the reason, but some of those events certainly contributed," Saban said of his decision to retire. "I was really disappointed in the way that the players acted after the game. You gotta win with class. You gotta lose with class. We had our opportunities to win the game and we didn't do it, and then showing your ass and being frustrated and throwing helmets and doing that stuff ... that's not who we are and what we've promoted in our program."

"I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?" Saban recounted. "Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field.

From the outset, Washington's DeBoer and Florida State's Mike Norvell were at the top of Byrne's list. Both had what Byrne was looking for: a proven head coach who had won on a big stage and shown the propensity to develop players. Byrne declined to go into detail about whom he talked to first or his pecking order. But he had serious conversations with both coaches the day after Saban retired.

"The hardest part is when you get put in that spot where the call does come, especially this one just because now you're a head coach," DeBoer said. "You're not a coordinator going to a head-coaching job. You're not at a Group of 5 school where you're going from Fresno State to Washington. This was the toughest one of them all.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

Probably one of the best articles yet I have read to date on the timeline of his retirement. So much clarity on some of the rumors that were posted on the days following it. And some of the BS that was posted about the reason(s) he was retiring.

I love the last paragraph. Says alot about DeBoer and the program he is going to build at ALABAMA.

With his first spring practice at Alabama opening earlier this week, DeBoer said he hasn't spent any time thinking about everything that led him to the Tide. He just knows he's here and ready to take on perhaps the biggest challenge any coach has ever faced in college football.

"I couldn't say no to that challenge," DeBoer said.

 

[poorhunter]

"I couldn't say no to that challenge" is a complete lie, but I do wish him the best. Hopefully they play good football. I don't really care who it is that plays good football. I'm afraid that good football won't be what we see at Alabama with DeBour as the head coach.

 

[wayne]

I love the last paragraph. Says alot about DeBoer and the program he is going to build at ALABAMA.

So it's a rebuilding year? Lowering those expectations and you guys haven't even won the A-Day game yet.

 

[THEdonkey0515]

So it's a rebuilding year? Lowering those expectations and you guys haven't even won the A-Day game yet.

But mildew looked good Day 1 of practice.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

So it's a rebuilding year? Lowering those expectations and you guys haven't even won the A-Day game yet.

Did I say anything about rebuilding ?