Nick Saban addresses Alabama's recruiting plan during bye week

Alabama is on a bye week, which means Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide coaching staff are getting out on the road to visit recruits.

“During the bye week we utilize Monday and Friday, which are days we don’t practice to get out, more coaches getting out to recruit,” Saban told reporters on the SEC’s Wednesday teleconference. “We still try to keep in contact with as many prospects as we can, which we have a little more time to do that as well.”

Notably, Alabama coaches will visit the top ranked 2023 player in the country in five-star quarterback Arch Manning. Coaches from Alabama and LSU are expected to be in house Friday when Manning’s Isidore Newman team hosts Cohen.

Alabama had Manning on campus when the Crimson Tide rolled over Ole Miss on Oct. 2. Manning was in Oxford, Mississippi, last weekend as his uncle Eli Manning had his jersey retired. 

Nick Saban added that Name, Image and Likeness is on the mind of most recruits and parents he talks to.

“I think Name Image and Likeness is something that’s on everyone’s mind because it’s a little new, little different,” he said. “So we answer questions about that and give as much detail about it as possible. It’s not something we can control or set up but there are a lot of opportunities available to our players here.”

Alabama boasts the top-ranked class in the 2022 cycle, featuring four five-stars and 13 four-star commits. The Crimson Tide remain involved in the recruitments of the likes of five-star wide receiver Evan Stewart, five-star interior offensive lineman Devon Campbell, five-star cornerback Denver Harris and a number of four-star prospects in the 2022 On300 rankings.

With a bye week, Nick Saban will get a rare chance to spend his birthday with friends and family. According to the soon-to-be 70-year old coach, he plans to spend time with his wife, Terry and others at his Georgia lake house, hopefully taking a few hours away from game film.

With birthdays come presents, but what gifts can you buy the coach who has it all? According to Saban, there is nothing special on the way. However, he does have a heartwarming birthday wish.

“I always wish for everybody in our family staying healthy and maybe to have continued blessings in their life as well as the people in our organization who work hard to make us be successful, all the players that work hard and invest their time,” Saban told reporters on the SEC’s Wednesday teleconference. “Nothing for me, I’m getting along fine. And if there’s something out there I want, we usually just go get it – which I can’t think of anything right now that I really want – so just hope for good blessings for a lot of other folks that are dear to us and our family.”