Paul Finebaum on SEC meetings without Nick Saban: 'You could clearly feel his absence'

Nick Saban left a glaring hole at the SEC meetings in Destin, according to ESPN’s Paul Finebaum. The former Alabama coach retired after the season.

Sure, there’s a fresh crop of coaches to focus on and Kirby Smart might be the de facto czar, but Saban’s absence was noticeable. All of a sudden, nearly two decades was in the past with Saban riding off into the sunset.

Finebaum explained what he saw throughout the entire week down in Florida.

“Not to harp on Nick Saban, but you can clearly feel his absence,” Finebaum said on McElroy and Cubelic. “Everywhere you went … I mean, Kalen DeBoer was likable and engaging and the same for Sarkisian and Kirby Smart and all these other coaches but that superstar, that supernova that this league has had for the last 17 years was gone. And we knew he would not be easily replaceable, but walking around three days at that hotel, it became pretty self-evident that nobody is going to replace Nick Saban.”

It’s tough to replace a legend and seemingly it might be impossible to replace Saban in any way shape or form.

Kirby Smart talks new role with Nick Saban retirement

Speaking at the SEC Meetings this week, Smart might have a new role in the coaches meetings with the conference. At one point, it was Saban who’s voice mattered most due to years of experience.

Now in a new version of the conference with Texas and Oklahoma coming in, Smart might be the top dog.

“Well, I think because we got two new coaches in there now, so now we (go from) 14 to 16 coaches, that itself brings more energy, juice, whatever you want to say, experience between Sark and Brent,” Smart said. “Coach Saban was one of the most veteran guys in there. I think he’s been in the SEC longer than anybody, sat in more of those meetings than anybody. And you had the LSU and Alabama time together. It was very valuable. 

“I think people rely on him for experience and knowledge. He’s very open in terms of what he comes up with and ideas to make football better now. I always respected the fact that when I was an assistant coach for him or a head coach alongside him in there, it was never about what was best for his team. It was about what was best for the game of football. Sometimes people lose sight of that (due to) self preservation.”