How long will Nick Saban coach at Alabama?

It’s the off-season; so, it’s the question that keeps on giving.

Coming off of yet another national championship with the Tide, everyone is wondering just how long can Saban go. Well, if his off-season coaching changes are any clue, he’ll be around a long time. Think about it. Saban just overhauled his coaching staff to get younger and more aggressive on the recruiting trail. Some turnover is usually good on coaching staffs, but replacing nearly your entire staff, including your OC and DC, is a major, major shakeup. But Saban wanted to get younger and hungrier on the recruiting trail. Beating Georgia in the national championship just wasn’t enough; he wants to dominate Georgia on the recruiting trail, too.

ESPN’s Chris Low recently spoke to Saban about the topic of retirement, and Low reiterated to Paul Finebaum Friday that retiring is not even on Saban’s radar.

“It’s something I (Nick Saban) can even imagine, me not coaching football,” Low said Friday. “So, I think the guy is going to coach well into his 70s. He’s 66 now. I’ve told you, I used to think the most unbreakable record in the realm of SEC football was Paul “Bear” Bryant’s 159 SEC wins. I don’t think it’s completely out of the realm of possibility for Nick Saban to coach long enough to have a shot to make a run at that record. So, that would be, what, another seven or eight years? So, I think he’s going to keep coaching.”

Why would Saban walk away anytime soon?

If he’s physically and mentally able to coach, he shouldn’t walk away. Saban’s staff changes indicate he’s energized and motivated. Yes, he has Alabama’s program on autopilot, but you won’t Saban getting complacent or getting comfortable.