Nick Saban highlights the rise of college football GMs as power players in the NIL and transfer portal era

ESPN analyst Nick Saban has emphasized the growing importance of college football general managers, especially in the current NIL and transfer portal era. Speaking on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Monday, Saban highlighted how these roles have evolved in recent years.

According to him, just like in the NFL, college GMs are now key players in shaping teams by managing recruitment and transfers.

Saban’s point might refer to Alabama's latest move, where the school secured a new three-year contract with Courtney Morgan. Morgan's salary has jumped to $825,000 annually, reflecting the increasing value of GMs in the sport.

According to Saban, while these GMs are pivotal in recruiting and building the roster, they won’t interfere with on-field coaching or strategies. Instead, their primary job is ensuring the team recruits the right players, which can significantly impact a team’s success.

“I think the GM is what you would refer to as a GM in the NFL,” Saban said [H/t On3]. “In other words, how do we bring players to the team? Like most of the time, if you were coaching in the NFL, you make a decision before you go in. I’m going to coach the players. I’m going to cut the players. But you’re going to decide who we bring to the team.”

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“So, these young general managers are going to do that type of thing,” Saban said.

Saban also warned of the dangers of misalignment between GMs, coaches and school leadership, drawing parallels to issues in the NFL. If the wrong players are recruited or paid excessively, it can disrupt team harmony and performance.

“You can pay the wrong guy, and then you’re going to suffer for it,” Saban said. “Because some player is going to outperform a player that’s making money, and that’s going to create problems in your locker room.”

Seven-time national champion Nick Saban believes that college football GMs are now crucial in building winning teams, but success depends on strong collaboration across the board.

Nick Saban has shared his College Football Playoff prediction, and it doesn’t have Alabama as the top-ranked team

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban believes the Georgia Bulldogs, Ohio State Buckeyes, Florida State Seminoles and Utah Utes will be the top four conference champions. Liberty follows as the next-highest-ranked champion for the legendary coach. Saban ranks the Crimson Tide at No. 7, set to face No. 10 Notre Dame, while LSU, ranked No. 11, will take on No. 6 Oregon.

Earlier, Saban praised coach Kalen DeBoer on ESPN's "College GameDay" for maintaining a strong team culture despite losing talent in the NCAA transfer portal. Saban, now an analyst, was particularly impressed with DeBoer’s defensive unit, even though he had concerns before the scrimmage.

“They’re gonna be right up there challenging people,” he said [H/t On3].

Nonetheless, as quarterback Jalen Milroe returns as a second-year starter, Nick Saban was pleased with the performance of the offensive line and skill positions under new offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan.

Kalen DeBoer and company will begin the 2024 college football season on Saturday, Aug. 31, at Bryant-Denny Stadium, when they host Western Kentucky.