Nick Saban Not Focused on Retirement After Winning 5th National Title

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – A fourth national championship in seven years hasn’t got Nick Saban thinking about life after football.

After guiding Alabama to a 45-40 victory over Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship, Saban was asked about retirement the following morning Tuesday.

But the coach left little indication that he had any other plans in the foreseeable future ahead of him.

“The one thing I have always said is I've been a part of a team since I was 9 years old,” Saban said. “It scares me to ever think of the day when I wouldn't be a part of the team. The feeling that you get being associated with a group like this makes you want to do it more.”

Saban, who was hired in January 2007, has spent the past nine seasons at Alabama, winning four SEC championships to go along with his four national championships with the Crimson Tide. When combined with his time spent at LSU, Saban is 11-1 in championship games, with six SEC titles and five national titles.

Despite links to other jobs, Saban, 64, has repeatedly said in the past that he intends to retire as Alabama’s head coach. His contract runs through the 2021 season.

“I know you can't do this forever,” Saban said, “but I certainly enjoy the moment and certainly look forward to the future challenges that we have and really have no timetable for ever not being a part of a team.”

Saban, whose “Process” requires intense focus and a tireless work ethic, said the year in, year out grind hasn’t yet taken a toll on him at an age when other coaches often admit or show as much.

Saban, though, isn’t just sticking around to win more championships, he said.

It's always the goal as a competitor,” Saban said, “but there's a lot more things that are very positive in terms of what you try to do internally in your organization to help people, build relationships and I think that's the fun part of being a part of a team.”