How college football could change without Nick Saban in 2024, beyond

Nick Saban is done with coaching and 99% of the college football world has to be excited. Alabama dominated the sport for years under his watch, winning nine SEC Championships and six national championships since Saban’s Tuscaloosa arrival in 2007.

Kalen DeBoer was deemed the heir to the throne and wants the keep the Alabama standard at the same level. But every other team in the SEC, including the new ones, has to feel like this is finally their shot. For years, Alabama was the conference’s dragon and really, only Georgia was able to slay it once.

Maintaining the same level of expectations is going to be hard for DeBoer.

“I think he’s going to do a good job,” On3’s Andy Staples said on DeBoer. “The question is — are they as annually invincible? Is a 10-2 season a failure for them like it was under Nick Saban? Because I think if you’re Ole Miss, if you’re Texas, if you’re LSU, if you’re Texas A&M, if you’re Auburn, you’ve been waiting… ‘They’ve been the impediment that we must get past.’ Do they still feel that way about Alabama?”

Teams at the top have to be excited about Saban leaving the sport too. Kirby Smart‘s head-to-head record against his former boss is well documented. His program now elevates as the perceived top dog. A lot of pressure for Georgia and others hoping to be the program in college football.

“It puts a lot of pressure on Kirby Smart, Dan Lanning, Steve Sarkisian,” Max Olson of The Athletic said during Wednesday’s episode of Andy Staples On3. “All these guys to have a dominant program moving forward… But it definitely gives more hope to way more SEC programs.”

Part of the issue is Alabama projects to be pretty good in 2024. The roster is still mostly built by Saban and just a handful of teams can argue having better talent across the board. DeBoer will be working with the most on-paper talent he has in his career.

Jalen Milroe coming back is where Alabama can really elevate itself, though. Milroe is entering his second season as the starter and is working with an offensive-minded head coach in DeBoer. Development has been DeBoer’s strength in recent seasons and could see this offseason’s work pay off.

“Alabama is going to be different to watch and I don’t think that’s necessarily a horrible thing,” Olson said. “I think it’s going to be fascinating to see what Kalen DeBoer’s spin on this is. And can he turn Jalen Milroe into a Heisman contender? With what he did against (Michael) Penix, I can’t say that’s impossible. This is more talent than he’s ever worked before. I think he’s going to figure it out.”

Alabama and DeBoer have no plans of dropping off but without Saban, things will just be different. Other programs will be thankful he is now known as Nick Saban, ESPN College GameDay analyst.