Nick Saban’s coached in the rain, snow, scorching hot temperatures in stadiums big and small.
He’s seen and done it all in nearly five decades on the sideline so Saturday will be unlike anything the 69-year-old ever dreamed of encountering. For the first time in Saban’s career, he’ll be somewhere other than the stadium when Alabama kicks off with Auburn.
The positive COVID-19 test Wednesday will keep him isolated at home for the Iron Bowl that begins at 2:30 p.m. CT across town in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Saban described some of the logistics for how he’ll view that game from home. He won’t be sitting there watching the CBS broadcast like everybody else.
“You can’t see much on TV,” he said, “so I’ll have the same field that we take of the game, which is the film that we watch on Sunday. So I’ll be able to see a little bit more of what’s happening, kind of like if you’re in the press box type of thing.”
He won’t be able to have any communication with players or coaches during the game or at halftime, according to the NCAA rule book. It’s safe to say Saban is no fan of that regulation.
“To me, if you’re not there, you should at least be able to communicate some kind of way, maybe with the press box or at halftime with your team or whatever,” Saban said. “You’re not going to give anybody … unless this stuff spreads over the phone or something or over a Zoom call. But who knows? It is what it is. We’ll just have to work it out the best we can.”
Steve Sarkisian will instead be his proxy.
The offensive coordinator who once led programs at Washington and USC will effectively be the head coach in charge at the stadium with Saban at home. He’ll still call the plays on offense and handle any “administrative” decisions, as Saban said earlier Wednesday.
Any coaching from Saban will have to come in postscript form.
“We’ll do the best we can to try to analyze what’s happening and see if there’s any way we can be of some kind of use,” Saban said. “But I have confidence in our coaches and our players that they’ll be able to do what they have to do. I mean, we’ve all got to live with the consequences of what happens whether I’m standing there or not. So that’s something I hope everybody realizes.”
Saban’s at least game planned for this moment since he tested positive a few days before the Oct. 17 visit from Georgia. He ultimately tested out that time and was back in time to lead the Tide to a 41-24 win over the Bulldogs.
“I was sort of mentally prepared for it,” Saban said. “It’s not about me, it’s really about the players. I want to be there for the players to try to help them be able to play the best, to inspire them in any way that you can as a coach and as a teacher to get the best out of them so that they have the best opportunity to be successful. I know how important it is for a lot of them.”
Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.
