As Nick Saban has retired from College Football it has been incredible for College Football fans as he's no longer beating everyone's favorite teams but, he's also incredible on College Gameday and in the media. Nick Saban went on The Pivot with Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor, and LSU Tiger Ryan Clark.
Given that Ryan Clark played for Saban at LSU, the topic came up about Nick Saban's time at LSU and of course the decision he made to leave. When it came time for Nick Saban to discuss his departure from LSU, he called it the biggest mistake of his professional career.
Nick Saban only has one regret… leaving LSU. Sitting on then LSU athletic Director’s Skip Bertman’s balcony Nick’s agent Jimmy Sexton asked…
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) January 21, 2025
“Do you want to be Bear Bryant or Vince Lombardi?”
Without hesitation Saban answered “Bear Bryant”. Still, he made the decision to… pic.twitter.com/l6ikTPa9RC
The part that hurts the most is that Nick Saban admitted before the decision he wanted to be the next Bear Bryant becoming the next College Coach but, he still left for the Miami Dolphins. The team was handed off to Les Miles and he brought home the National Championship in 2007.
On one hand, you look back and wonder how many National Championships LSU would have won if Nick Saban stayed the Head Coach at LSU. The Tigers finished first or second in the SEC West every season under Nick Saban and without running into Saban every season at Alabama the Tigers likely win more SEC Titles and more National Championships.
On the other hand, it's hard to say you'd give up what LSU did post Nick Saban even if you may have won more National Championships. The 2007 season was incredible beating Saban at Alabama, Virginia Tech, Florida, Tennessee with Ryan Perrilloux at quarterback, and the National Championship over Ohio State.
The 2019 Season was one of the most incredible seasons and it may have felt like just another year if LSU won at the rate Saban won at while at Alabama. There's truly no scenario where you would want to go back and time and roll the dice losing that season.
The what if of Nick Saban staying at LSU will always be one of College Football's greatest unanswerable questions but, at the end of the day there's no way of truly knowing.