Even Nick Saban’s daughter was surprised by retirement announcement
If you were caught off guard by Nick Saban’s retirement announcement on Wednesday, you weren’t alone. Even Saban’s daughter Kristen didn’t 100 percent know it was coming.
Kristen Saban Setas held a question-and-answer session on her Instagram account Sunday and shared some very personal answers.
One of the first questions she answered was whether she knew her dad was retiring. Saban Setas said she was given a heads up that it was a possibility, but she didn’t even know it was a certainty.
“That morning, my mom let me know that it was being heavily considered but wasn’t 100% sure. I don’t think my dad was completely set on it until he gave himself a few hours to make a decision and he made it. I found out on my flight to Florida,” Saban Setas answered
That’s an interesting answer. Did Saban really take a few hours on Wednesday to fully make his decision? Or were the Sabans being so careful to avoid leaks that they wouldn’t even 100 percent confirm things with their daughter.
It seems like Saban knew for certain because they had statements prepared that were released later in the day. Not only that, but the Crimson Tide had hired a replacement head coach within days. In other words, the whole thing felt very well organized for something that was kept so well under wraps.
Former Nebraska coach Scott Frost is reportedly ready to return to the sideline after a year away.
Frost is expected to pursue the Arizona Wildcats’ head coaching vacancy, according to Andy Staples of On3. The Wildcats are in need of a new coach after Jedd Fisch left to take the Washington job.
Staples notes that Frost is ready to return to the field one year after he was fired by Nebraska. He would also have familiarity with several opponents in the new Big 12 stemming from his time at UCF.
Frost was once one of the most highly-regarded young coaches in America after he guided UCF to a 13-0 season in 2017. He returned to his alma mater Nebraska after that, where he went just 16-31 in parts of five seasons. It was a sign of his diminished standing that the Cornhuskers looked quite desperate to get rid of him by the end.
Arizona went 10-3 under Fisch last year as part of a rapid rebuild. Frost could be a tempting option in light of his tenure at UCF.