Nick Saban’s retirement has forever changed college football and, while the seven-time national champion has explained the reasons for his decision, some of his old players are also offering their theories as to why he stepped away from the game he helped define in the 21st century.
Including former Crimson Tide defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry, who believes that certain elements of the new NIL regime in college football helped Saban make his decision.
“I definitely think that,” McKinstry said on RG3 and the Ones, the podcast hosted by Robert Griffin III. “I was the last class that, really, we didn’t have to worry about asking for money and stuff like that coming out of high school.
“People worry about the wrong thing. They worry about money. Like, he always looked at it like, you’re going to get money when you get to the league. I’m just here to help you be a better man, help you be a better player, help you make all the money that you want to make in the league.”
McKinstry added: “There’s money here [in college], but this ain’t the money that’s going to help you take care of your family, change your generational wealth. Coach Saban just always wanted the best for us as a player and as a person.”
Those comments echo what Saban said himself about his career and the NIL system.
After his retirement, Saban said that during his last season, “maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I’m going to play because they’re thinking about transferring; and how much are you going to pay me?”
(Credit: RG3 and the Ones, presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment)
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Publish date : 2024-04-26 03:00:00
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