The annual Regions Tradition Pro-Am golf event kicked off on Wednesday, which is the most popular day of the event as the celebrities are involved. The SEC football and basketball coaches are typically the biggest group in attendance. Anytime Nick Saban is involved in an event, the event becomes a big media event.
Following the golfing portion of the day, Nick Saban appeared on the Paul Finebaum where he touched on a ton of topics. Kalen DeBoer's recent contract extension was brought up, and Nick Saban laid out why extending the head coach was the right decision for Alabama.
"Obviously other people recognize that he had an opportunity to go to Michigan and if Alabama wanted to keep him, they had to step up and do it. It was the right thing because we would’ve lost our roster if he would’ve left."Nick Saban
Nick Saban is clearly speaking from experience when he talks about the potential of losing a roster as he saw what happened when he retired from coaching, and Kalen DeBoer took over. Stars like Caleb Downs and Kadyn Proctor transferred out before the latter returned to Tuscaloosa in the Spring Transfer Portal window.
"When I retired, 26 players (transferred), which was hard for the next coach, whoever it was, to overcome. And I think they’ve done a pretty good job with that transition."Nick Saban
While Nick Saban and the school like the deal they gave Kalen DeBoer, given that it's Alabama, the deal will be judged on if DeBoer brings National Championships to Tuscaloosa. At most schools, deep College Football Playoff runs would be enough to make a fanbase happy, but every season at Alabama is truly National Championship or bust.
Moving forward, Kalen DeBoer can finally start to move out of Nick Saban's shadow as the roster is almost entirely his own at this point. The 2026 season will be a truly important year for the Kalen DeBoer era as he brings in a new starting quarterback whom he brought to Alabama, and he'll now be judged with the players he brought in.
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