"He changed everything": When Josh Pate shared how $80M worth Nick Saban took a giant leap despite huge success

Nick Saban’s decision to change his coaching philosophy at the height of his success cemented his legacy as one of college football's greatest minds. Despite winning three national championships at Alabama by 2013 and being the sport’s gold standard, Saban made a bold choice: He overhauled everything.

When Saban, whose net worth is estimated at $80 million (per Celebrity Net Worth), led Alabama to its sixth national championship under his tenure in 2021, it solidified his legacy.

On his podcast "The Late Kick with Josh Pate," Pate highlighted Saban’s big impact on Alabama’s dominance in college football.

According to Pate, Saban didn’t wait for failure or setbacks to make changes:

“He changed everything,” Pate said (Timestamp: 1:34). “They didn't have to have a five-loss season to do it. They didn't have to have crippling setbacks. They didn't have to fall out of the top 10 in recruiting. He changed everything while he was on top.”

Saban explained his shift, acknowledging how college football’s landscape had evolved:

“The game is different now,” Saban said. “I grew up with the idea that you play good defense, you run the ball, you control vertical field position on special teams, and you're going to win. Whoever rushes the ball the most for the most yards is going to win the game. You're not going to win anything now doing that.

“Because the way the spread is, the way the rules are to run RPOs, the way the rules are that you can block downfield and throw the ball behind the line of scrimmage – I mean, those rules have changed college football. And no-huddle football has changed college football. So, I changed my philosophy about five or six years ago.”

The transformation, sparked by hiring Lane Kiffin as offensive coordinator, showed Saban’s willingness to innovate under pressure.

Legendary coach Nick Saban’s instincts and adaptability allowed him to stay ahead.

Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer’s styles couldn’t be more different

Kalen DeBoer hugs Terry Saban, wife of former coach Nick Saban - Source: Imagn

Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer might both be successful coaches, but their styles couldn’t be more different, and that’s just fine, according to tight end CJ Dippre, who has played under both.

Dippre, currently preparing for the 2025 NFL draft, shared his perspective on AL.com’s "Beat Everyone" podcast after starting 24 games for Saban at Alabama and DeBoer at Washington.

“They both do great things,” Dippre said. “They do it differently. Coach Saban’s very old school, old school, full pads all the time, strictly business, plain Jane, wearing what you’re supposed to wear. Coach DeBoer was a little lenient on that.

“Not that it was bad or good, but we played music during practice and you can wear sleeves if you wanted to wear sleeves, just little things. But Coach DeBoer is more of a younger coach. So, he gets people to play better when they listen to music.”

Another key difference Dippre noticed was accessibility. According to him, DeBoer was around the facility a lot more, with his door open. It’s not that Coach Saban wasn’t approachable, but he’s on another level.

Dippre’s full interview can be heard on Thursday’s episode of Beat Everyone, available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other platforms.