Nick Saban recently made a shocking admission on the podcast "The Pivot" that most people, love Saban or hate Saban, never saw coming.

According to Nick Saban, he says leaving LSU when he did was "professionally the biggest mistake that he ever made."

LSU v Oklahoma
(Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
loading...

Nick Saban At LSU

Nick Saban’s time at LSU was a game-changer for the football program.

Saban came to LSU in 2000 when the team was struggling a bit, but it didn’t take long for him to turn things around.

In his first year, Saban's LSU Tigers went 8-4 and won the Peach Bowl.

By 2003, Saban had built a powerhouse football team that won the BCS National Championship, LSU’s first since 1958.

That season, the LSU beat Oklahoma 21-14 in the Sugar Bowl.

SEC Championship: LSU v Georgia
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
loading...

When Did Nick Saban Leave LSU?

In 2004, after five seasons, Saban left LSU for the NFL to coach the Miami Dolphins.

Of course, his story with LSU didn’t end there.

When he returned to college football in 2007 to coach Alabama, he became the Tigers’ biggest rival. LSU fans have a love-hate relationship with him—grateful for the national championship he brought to the program, but frustrated by how often he’s beaten them since.

Nick Saban retired as the head coach at Alabama on January 10, 2024. He coached the Crimson Tide from 2007 to 2023.

During his college football coaching career, Nick Saban won six national championships with Alabama, and one national championship with LSU.

2022 CFP National Championship - Georgia v Alabama
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
loading...

Nick Saban Says Leaving LSU Was His Biggest Mistake

In a recent interview on the podcast "The Pivot", Nick Saban made an admission that has shocked both LSU and Alabama fans alike.

From wvtm13.com -

"Coach Saban recently sat down with Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder, his former Miami linebacker, to discuss his coaching career on their podcast.

During the interview, the group asked the legendary coach if there were any moments during his time in the sport that he wished he had done differently."

Saban's answer?

"When I left LSU...that was probably, professionally the biggest mistake that I ever made."


You can watch the full podcast below.

LOOK: These Are the Richest NFL players

To uncover the richest NFL players, Stacker consulted Celebrity Net Worth and ranked them by their 2022 net worth, calculated using a proprietary formula. 

Gallery Credit: Katrina Sirotta

More From Hot 107.9