Caleb Downs was stunned when Nick Saban announced his retirement following the 2023 season.

While at his first media appearance as a member of Ohio State, Downs said his “heart dropped” upon hearing Saban retire. Ultimately, Downs respects Saban making the move that was right for the longtime head coach but said it was still a “huge surprise” for Alabama.

“It was a huge surprise walking into that meeting and him saying that. My heart dropped for sure,” said Downs. “But at the end of the day, if that’s what he felt was best for him, I love him for it and that’s what he needed to do.”

Later in his Q&A session, Downs was asked about Saban and what made the legendary coach so great. He said Saban was the same individual each and every day, something many claim to be but only a few live up to that mantra.

Saban also helped Downs learn what it means to be disciplined and consistent in a drive to be great:

“A very disciplined person. He was committed every single day to being his best self, and not many people can actually say that and be truthful with that statement,” Downs said. “He was the same person every single day, and he taught me a lot about commitment, about being disciplined, consistency, everything that goes with that in being great. I feel like that’s what he embodied.”

Downs is now preparing to roll with the Buckeyes, but there’s no denying the impact Saban had on his young career. We’ll see how he is able to carry that into his 2024 season at Ohio State.