People Really Thought Nick Saban, Alabama Were Done After Texas, But The Joke's On Them

Say what you will about Nick Saban, the Alabama coach is not going to sugarcoat narratives around his program. After losing to Texas, a number of folks thought this was the end for Saban. Not quite.

The loss at home to the Longhorns gave people hope that Alabama would fade into the sunset, with a head coach that has looked more relaxed than ever. But, it seems as though many of the same people thinking this would be the last year for Saban fell into his trap.

Saban would be the first to tell you that this team has been a work in progress, while he also worked to make a decision on the starting quarterback. He did the right thing by giving Ty Simpson and Tyler Buchner an opportunity to prove themselves against USF. But then it was time to make the final call for 2023, Saban stuck with Jalen Milroe.

Sure, this isn't the same type of Alabama team we've grown accustomed to seeing on Saturday's in the fall. But that doesn't mean this group can't grow into a team that will challenge for the SEC, or a playoff spot.

This season, it's taken time, where in year's past, Alabama would come out of the gates firing on all cylinders behind a Heisman contending quarterback. But they don't have that guy throwing passes this season, and this was going to be the case before the 2023 season started. Behind the awkward mistakes or taking a sack when he should've gotten rid of the ball, Milroe is growing into threat for opposing defenses.

Passing for a career-high 321 yards passing and three touchdowns against Texas A&M, Milroe has settled into his role.

This alone should have opposing teams worried about Alabama for the rest of the season.

Nick Saban Still Has His Fastball, Proving Doubters Wrong

Nick Saban is going to retire, look at all the media he's doing. Saban is much calmer this season than in years past, so something is definitely going on. The list could go on of all the predictions or observations that don't particularly matter at this point of the season.

The fact is, Saban is enjoying the challenge of not having a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback, while coaching up a defense along with Kevin Steele that had folks worrying after the Texas loss. Since Lane Kiffin made his comments about who was actually calling the defense at Alabama, they've beaten Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Texas A&M.

Alabama's defense held all four opponents to a combined 50 points.

Oh, and they've beaten these teams in different ways, not one-sided to the offense. Taking care of Ole Miss was the first step after their sluggish performance against USF. Beating Mississippi State with a gritty performance on offense was step two.

Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after their 24-10 win over head coach Lane Kiffin of the Mississippi Rebels at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 23, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

But there's no way Jimbo Fisher was going to lose to Alabama this season, right? Wrong, Nick Saban's squad fought through a tough Aggies defensive line, which put Jalen Milroe on his backside more often than not. Still, this wasn't enough to cause panic, as Jermaine Burton torched the Aggies secondary and the Alabama defense pounced on Max Johnson.

While the defense and passing attack was impressive, Alabama only rushing for 23 yards against the Aggies put the spotlight on Jalen Milroe, who didn't flinch. Even after his critical interception, he led his team to two more TD's following the mistake. The biggest drive of the game came at the 2:59 mark of the third quarter, when Milroe led the offense on a six-play, eighty yard drive to give Alabama the 24-17 lead.

Then, as we witnessed against Ole Miss, the Alabama defense stepped up once again, forcing a safety and holding the Aggies offense to just three points.

Just when you thought Nick Saban was out of the conversation for 2023, he pulls you right back in, with a chance to cause chaos down the stretch.

What's Left For Alabama In 2023 Regular Season?

If you ask Paul Finebaum, a trip to the college football playoff is not out of the question for Alabama in 2023. After playing Arkansas this weekend, the schedule does toughen up again, with Tennessee, LSU and an interesting trip to Lexington. We certainly can't look past the Iron Bowl, which will be played at Auburn this season.

"They’re a work in progress, they’re hard to watch sometimes, they make a ridiculous amount of mistakes. But Jalen Milroe — who by the way, Tommy Rees, the new offensive coordinator benched a couple weeks ago — is now back and playing at a very high level," Paul Finebaum noted. "There’s still some work to be done, they have Tennessee next week, they have LSU in 3 weeks. But I think they have a chance to get through all of that and it’s going to come down to Georgia in the SEC Championship game.”

That's a long way from what folks were discussing just four weeks ago. So is Nick Saban moving to the College Gameday set? Is he retiring to his new house in Florida? This has to be the year he hangs it up after some adversity, right?

By the looks of things, Saban might be having too much fun coaching up a team that isn't setting the world on fire this season, comparing this team to previous years. Judging by the talent and problems we knew existed before the season started, this could end up being Nick Saban's finest coaching job, while enjoying life just a little bit more each day.

And that right there should scare you as we start the second half of the 2023 college football season.