Nick Saban was widely acknowledged as the greatest head coach in college football history upon his retirement, and his departure from Alabama left a significant void. ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum discussed the impact of Saban’s absence on the SEC, noting that it affected the entire program this season, to the point where they couldn’t even remain competitive in the College Football Playoff.
“From 2009 to 2020, Nick Saban played, was in the National Championship game nine times. That is a big deal,” Finebaum remarked on the Matt Barrie Show.
“Kirby Smart was supposed to take the sport over. He didn’t. And now that we look at it, the Nick Saban era in College Football. I think it was more about Nick Saban than it was about the SEC. It was really about Saban.”
“It’s only been a year and ten days since Saban retired, but it does feel like a lifetime,” he added.
Matt Barrie, Finebaum’s co-analyst, emphasized the importance of moving forward without Saban, despite the lingering impact of the “Bama Standard” greatness.
“It’s year two of DeBoer. Now the aftershocks of Saban are gone and now it’s Kalen DeBoer’s program. How will College Football sit in this new world order post Nick Saban for the next ten years? To me, that’s one of the more fascinating storylines in this game,” Barrie observed.
Setting aside comparisons to the best head coach in college football history, DeBoer performed admirably in his first year as head coach of a storied program like Alabama.
The Crimson Tide came incredibly close to securing a spot in the College Football Playoff, with their exclusion sparking significant controversy despite several losses to mid-tier teams.
This in itself speaks volumes about DeBoer’s performance.
However, it wasn’t enough to achieve ultimate success, particularly in the larger context of competing for a National Championship while adhering to the “Bama Standard.” DeBoer still has a long way to go in that regard.
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Former Alabama linebacker explains why he transferred to South Carolina
Justin Okoronkwo, a promising young linebacker, only spent one season with Alabama football before deciding to pursue a different opportunity. After the 2024 season, Okoronkwo transferred to South Carolina, entering the transfer portal just before the deadline.
This timing is significant, as it followed the announcements from inside linebackers Deontae Lawson and Justin Jefferson that they would be returning for another season with Alabama. Okoronkwo explained his decision in an interview with The State in South Carolina.
“I felt like the starting spots were already gone,” Okoronkwo said. “And, I mean, it’s hard to compete — especially at a place like Bama — with guys who are more experienced than you.”
Along with the return of Lawson and Jefferson, Alabama also secured Nikhai Hill-Green, a linebacker from Colorado. This made for a crowded room, even with Jihaad Campbell, a 2024 starter, declaring for the NFL Draft.
Faced with tough competition, Okoronkwo decided to seek opportunities elsewhere and found a new home with the Gamecocks. South Carolina needs to replace two starting linebackers for the 2025 season. He also noted that the program’s strength staff played a role in his decision.
“(It’s) very impressive, especially compared to Bama,” Okoronkwo said. “What they are doing there, I really like because it’s way more related to the game. Like what drills they do and what lifts they do. That really stood out to me.”
In his brief time at Alabama, Okoronkwo logged 39 defensive snaps in 2024, including 14 in the Missouri game. The former three-star recruit from Germany is now looking forward to his new chapter with South Carolina.
