Rece Davis believes Nick Saban will thrive on College GameDay

Nick Saban isn’t fully retiring from work with his decision to join the desk on College GameDay for next season. He’ll be almost as great at it as he was at coaching football if the opinion of Rece Davis tracks with how he’ll actually be live on air.

Davis spoke about their show’s addition of Saban during the ‘College GameDay Podcast’ on Wednesday. He fully expects Saban to excel at his new job, especially based on what they’ve already seen from him when speaking, both in general and as a former guest, before.

“I don’t have any doubt at all that he will thrive in this role,” said Davis.

“Nick has already shown a remarkable ability to slide into that seat and provide expert analysis. He handles the tapes well,” Davis noted. “He understands how to speak in headlines because he is a gifted public speaker – and not just to his team. If you’ve heard him any other format, it’s really quite an impressive thing.”

Saban is set to take part of several broadcast as a new employee at ESPN with College GameDay being his main focus.

While it’s an incredible hire for the broadcast of the show on Saturdays come the fall, Davis admitted that it comes with a pressure to perform with him around. However, it’s a new challenge that they’re welcoming in order to keep growing the show and make it continuously as great as it is.

“I’m looking forward to the new dynamic,” said Davis. “As we have always said on GameDay? For as long as I’ve been a part of it and, certainly, before that? You have to find ways to improve, you have to find areas to grow. You cannot stand still.

“Certainly, I think, if you bring Nick Saban into any mix? Whether it be your Ferrari dealership, your Mercedes dealership, or your television program? You best not stand still,” Davis said.

Pete Thamel concurred by saying that he’s sure that their crew will likely be ready and at attention once the greatest coach of all time starts showing up to their show prep.

“I do think that we’re all going to have our spines a little straighter with Nick Saban around the meeting room and on our Zooms,” Thamel laughed.

Saban’s insight alone would be a welcome addition to the desk on College GameDay on every Saturday. Add in his articulation and well-spoken nature, though, and Davis sees it as a major addition for them as a show.

Davis reveals how NSaban is already handling prep for NFL Draft

Rece Davis continued by explaining how the legendary former coach is already diving into his new role.

During the episode, Davis actually revealed just how Nick Saban is preparing for his coverage of the upcoming NFL Draft.

“He’s already had conversations with a number of us about what it looks like,” Davis said.

It was Saban’s interaction with the producers that showed Davis how his attention to detail is going to make him great on television.

“And he was asking, ‘Do I need to pick the plays for all 100 guys?’. He said, ‘No. You can give me themes. He moves well in the pocket or he maintains leverage well’. Whatever it might be. Nick’s response was, ‘Well, what if he fumbles a lot?’. It was, like, and he was speaking broadly. But what if there’s a flaw in his game? He’s like, ‘That’s fine but you don’t have to go find, unless it’s some kind of glaring thing. That’s something you can say that you don’t have to (show)’. So it’s the little things like that but it shows the level he’s thinking already in terms of evaluating players. He’s thinking of it already in terms of would he be recruiting the player. From his days in the NFL, whether he would sign this player, draft this player. Whatever it might be,” Davis said.

“I think it’s really going to really give an added dimension to our show and, certainly, a different perspective from someone who’s accomplished what he has as a coach in recent years.”