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Alabama Crimson Tide

Paul Finebaum unloads on Nick Saban, says 2022 was his ‘worst coaching job’ at Alabama

Keith Farner

By Keith Farner

Published:

Paul Finebaum follows Nick Saban’s career closely, and during a segment on ESPN’s “First Take” on Friday, the ESPN commentator called this season the worst of Saban’s tenure at Alabama.

“I don’t think anyone wants to prematurely write Nick Saban off, but the points are correct,” Finebaum said. “This was a bad year for Nick Saban, and I know some Alabama fans are coming out of their chairs going, ‘How can you say that, we’re playing in the Sugar Bowl, we’re doing this, we were 5 in the country,’ that’s what they’re probably saying. But this was probably the worst coaching job I’ve seen by Nick Saban during his tenure at Alabama. Why? Because he started the season as really one of the biggest favorites we’ve seen, probably since USC 15 or 20 years ago.”

Finebaum then pointed out the Saban had Bryce Young, the Heisman Trophy winner, and Will Anderson Jr., and referred to NFL mock drafts that have Young and Anderson pegged at Nos. 1 and 3.

“It’s not an overreach to say that Alabama could have been 8-4 this year,” Finebaum said. “That’s really not even going out on a limb, that’s speaking what I’ve seen.”

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.

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