Nick Saban gives heartfelt speech at field dedication
As Alabama unveiled Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Nick Saban stepped to the podium to deliver a heartfelt speech. He and his wife, Miss Terry, were in attendance for the ceremony.
Saban announced his retirement in January after a legendary coaching career, which included six national championships during his time at Alabama. All told, he finished with a 206-29 record with the Crimson Tide.
In July, Alabama announced its plans to re-name the field at Bryant-Denny after Saban following approval from the Board of Trustees. Saban was able to be in attendance after flying to Tuscaloosa from Ann Arbor, where he was on the ESPN College GameDay set.
“This is a great honor to have the field named after a legacy that we’ve been able to create here,” Saban said. “But I want this legacy to be able to represent every player who played, who worked hard; every coach who helped those players develop; our administration who set a foundation where we had a chance to be successful by providing all the resources that we needed to be to have the best program in the country; and to you, the fans, who were always positive in terms of the way you supported our players, our program and all the things that we did.”
The turnout was impressive, and Nick Saban acknowledged the Crimson Tide fans – both in attendance and those who couldn’t make the ceremony – in his speech. He also mentioned the late athletic director Mal Moore, who hired him, and former president Dr. Robert Witt for bringing him to Tuscaloosa in 2007.
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“You’ve given more to me than we’ve given to you,” Saban said. “You made us a part of this community 18 years ago, which we appreciate. It’s our home now. You’ve given us the opportunity to be the coach at one of the great universities in this country.
“And I can’t tell you how much that means to me that Mal Moore and Dr. Witt gave us an opportunity 18 years ago now to come here and try to elevate Alabama football to be one of the nationally respected programs in the country, and it was a great team that did it. Not me. My family made great sacrifices, you had great impact with your support in creating one of the best atmospheres in college football to play in in Bryant-Denny Stadium.”