The last Alabama football team under Nick Saban reflects on his impact.

Nick Saban left Spieker Field at the Rose Bowl, looking concerned, surrounded by security, while tears ran down the faces of his players. The thought of an unimaginable future, one without Saban as the head coach of Alabama football, loomed just a week away, a terrifying notion overshadowed by the heartbreak of a Rose Bowl loss to Michigan in overtime.

In one of their final gatherings as the 2023 Crimson Tide team, Saban chose to focus on thachievementseir . He expressed his pride in them, acknowledging the challenges they had faced and overcome, including a disappointing 1-1 start to the season. Saban praised them for experiencing “one of the most amazing seasons” of growth in the program’s history. Afterwards, the six-time UA national champion addressed the media and reiterated the same sentiments.

“Well, I just believe that I don’t necessarily view it in terms of winning and losing; you’ve won the championship, you can’t win the championship,” Saban explained on January 1st. “As a coach, you’re always striving to help your team improve and be the best they can be.

“For me, as a coach, maybe not for everyone else, this is one of the teams that I’ll always remember.”

Meanwhile, in the locker room, players shared what Saban had meant to them, unaware that they would be the last group Saban would guide.

“Not having grown up with a father, having someone like Coach Saban, you know, it’s just the little things. He always makes sure that we’re okay,” starting wide receiver Malik Benson, who later transferred to Florida State, told AL.com. “He lets us come eat dinner at his house. I really appreciate that about him. Even when I was being recruited and talking to him, he never lied.”

“He’s a great guy, and I can understand why Alabama has the legacy that it does because of him. People might perceive Coach Saban as ‘rah-rah.’ They see him in a certain way, but he’s actually a loving and caring person. He cares about us as more than just football players.”

Chris Braswell sat with a towel over his head and his eyes downcast as officials presented Michigan with a trophy. His four-year college career was ending, but Braswell had become a prime example of a principle often emphasized by Saban: Come to Alabama, enhance your value, and succeed.

Initially a five-star prospect from Maryland, Braswell saw limited playtime in his first two years. However, he gradually earned a spot in the rotation as a junior and had a breakout season in 2023, expected to be one of the top edge players selected in the upcoming NFL Draft after recording eight sacks. Saban never guaranteed him playing time; instead, he offered the opportunity to earn it.

For Braswell, Saban was everything. “He taught me how to be a better man overall, a better person,” he said.

Saban, quarterback Jalen Milroe, and star freshman Caleb Downs (who entered the transfer portal exactly one week after Saban’s departure) would race to the facility each morning to begin film review or workouts. It’s not surprising that in his 17 years of recruiting top-ranked classes, Saban found players who shared his dedication to hard work. Generations of players, from Julio Jones to Dont’a Hightower to Will Anderson Jr., exemplify this commitment.

Consistency is a cornerstone for Saban, a part of the Alabama standard that new coach Kalen DeBoer is entrusted with upholding. Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry observed that Saban “jogged everywhere he goes.” Saban continued to stretch with the team at the start of each practice and led the Tide onto the sideline every game day.

“Coach Saban, he’s still youthful in a way. He jokes and stuff. His connection with us. I feel like he’s truly trying to connect with us, just being our team, listening to us more, just seeing what we feel like. He actually, like, listens. He tells us stuff, then he listens to what we want from him, what we want to see,” said senior running back Jase McClellan.

McClellan, who arrived in 2020, noted that Saban has become more laid-back over the years. Stories of Saban’s light-hearted humor have become more widely known. Milroe, who matured alongside his teammates to win a Southeastern Conference Championship, rallying after Saban benched him in September, referred to a “secret formula” that Saban operates under to explain how the 72-year-old coach has maintained his drive through over 200 wins.

“I mean, that’s the greatest coach of all time, you know what I’m saying? To come in play for a man like that, as a leader like that and has had that experience, it’s such a blessing having him in my life,” said freshman left tackle Kadyn Proctor, who also entered the transfer portal after Saban’s decision. “I can go talk to him, spit it up with him, you know what I’m saying? He’s not an absent coach. He’s in my life, talks to my family and is just such a well-rounded man.”

Legendary kicker Will Reichard added, “He’s definitely a mentor in this locker room. He’s meant the world to me … Being able to sit in every team meeting and learn, not just football lessons but life lessons, is something I’ll take with me for the rest of my life.”

Last month, several Tide players mentioned that this year’s team bonded more than previous groups, partially due to Saban, who appeared to relish victories, like when he jogged toward the student section after Alabama beat Tennessee on Oct. 21. There’s a reason, as Terrion Arnold told The Next Round last week, Saban’s retirement “really does hurt.”

Nine players have entered the transfer portal since Jan. 10, and more may follow. UA athletic director Greg Byrne mentioned that Saban has spoken with recent enrollees from the class of 2024 — who arrived in Tuscaloosa this winter expecting Saban to be around for at least another year.

While Saban will still have an office in Bryant-Denny Stadium, and DeBoer has already extended an open invitation to practice, four-star defensive back Jameer Grimsley became the first recent signee to explore future options, entering the transfer portal on Jan. 18.