University of Alabama coach Nick Saban told reporters on Wednesday evening that he’s been trying to reach his former assistant coach Will Muschamp, but hasn’t had any luck yet as they have demanding and different schedules.
Nevertheless, he hopes to talk to his former assistant soon.
“I don’t care what’s happened to Will, and his circumstance, he did a really good job in my opinion in making that program batter, did a great job of recruiting, was a great competitor out there in recruiting, and I think he really did a really good job in coaching the team,” Saban said. “There was just some parts of the team that never did as well as people’s expectations, and that’s the business that we’re in.
“But I know that he’ll do well wherever he decides to go and in whatever he decides to do because I know what kind of competitor and what kind of person that he is. Anything that we can do for him we’ll certainly be there to help him every way that we can.”
Muschamp, who has a 27-20 record four years at Florida and is stepping down at the end of the season, was an assistant coach for Saban at LSU (2001-4) and then with the Miami Dolphins (2005) before becoming the defensive coordinator at Auburn and Texas.
Although Saban has had numerous former assistant coaches go on to be head coaches, including Jimbo Fisher, Mark Dantoine, Jim McElwain and Derek Dooley, none has ever come back to defeat him.
“It’s never personal with me when it comes to the opponent,” Saban said before Alabama hosted Florida on Sept. 20, a 42-21 victory for the Crimson Tide. “I never try to make it personal. We compete against each other and we’re still friends. That’s the way it’s going to be.”
Said Muschamp at the time: “I probably wouldn’t be standing here if it weren’t for the opportunities he gave me early in my career.”
Saban won their first matchup as head coaches in 2001, 38-10 in the Swamp.
Earlier Wednesday on the SEC’s weekly teleconference Muschamp said “I’d like to obviously be working next year,” but added that he’ll first take some time to figure out what’s next in his life.
Christopher Walsh has covered Alabama football since 2004 and is the author of 19 books. In his free time, he writes about college football.
