Alabama Crimson Tide fans are still in denial today.
It’s the end of an era in Alabama with the news that football coach Nick Saban will retire after 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa. With the word quickly making its way around campus, a few fans knew just what to do.
On Wednesday, the Crimson Tide faithful took to Saban’s statue outside Bryant-Denny Stadium to honor the 72-year-old’s storied career.
Alabama fans flocked to Nick Saban’s statue at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa to leave oatmeal cream pies and coke as well as other tributes after the college football coaching great announced his retirement on Wednesday evening.
If you’re wondering what the deal is about the oatmeal cream pies. In 2018, prior to Alabama’s national title game date with Georgia, Saban admitted that he eats two cream pies when he wakes up in the morning.
The Coke is obvious as Saban could be seen with a bottle next to him on the podium during press conferences.
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Saban, who’s widely considered one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, said in a statement Wednesday that the University of Alabama “has been a very special place” to the 72-year-old and his wife.
“It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it’s about the legacy and how we went about it,” said Saban.
“We always tried to do it the right way. The goal was always to help players create more value for their future, be the best player they could be, and be more successful in life because they were part of the program. Hopefully, we have done that, and we will always consider Alabama our home.”
If Nick Saban truly stays retires, he will finish with an all-time record of 297-71 across 28 years as a college head coach. During his 17 years at Alabama, the Tide won national championships in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2019.
Saban wraps up his career with a loss, which was one of two his team recorded this season. Alabama lost early in the season to Texas and then to eventual College Football Playoff champion Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
It’s safe to say that Bama will never have this good again with another coach.
