Saturday marked the beginning of a new chapter in Tuscaloosa, as it was the first time in 17 years that the Alabama football program wasn’t under the leadership of Nick Saban. Despite not being on the sidelines, the seven-time national champion still made his presence felt. New head coach Kalen DeBoer revealed that Saban called him before the season opener to offer encouragement and support.
“We actually talked before the game. He gave me a call on Thursday, and it was really cool for the guys. He wanted me to let them know he’s thinking about them, wishing them the best, and rooting for them. You can just tell how much he cares, not just about the program but about the individuals within it. So I wanted to make sure I passed that along because I think it was important for them to hear,” DeBoer said on Monday.
Saturday was a busy day for Saban, as he appeared on ESPN College GameDay in the morning in Texas, but still made it to Tuscaloosa in time for the evening kickoff. Although his presence at Bryant-Denny Stadium garnered much attention, the upcoming weekend’s game against South Florida will be even more significant.
The Alabama football program will honor Saban on Saturday by naming the field in his honor before the evening game. All players who competed for Saban at Alabama have been invited to participate in the ceremony.
“It’s going to be an incredible night, having the field named in honor of Coach. That’s something really special. It’s one of those moments where, as a team, you know what’s happening, but you can’t fully participate in the ceremony because of pregame preparations,” DeBoer said. “But just to have that honor for Coach Saban, considering everything he’s done here, I know how much it will mean to him. We have a lot of respect for that, and we’re going to do everything we can to continue making this our house and protect our field, just like it’s been for the past 17 years he was here.”
