The University of Alabama held its commencement ceremony on Thursday, where both former Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban and current U.S. President Donald J. Trump delivered speeches. Saban, who led Alabama’s football program from 2007 to 2023, built a powerhouse, capturing multiple national championships and sending numerous players to the NFL. During the event, what remarks did President Trump make about the iconic former coach?
Former Alabama Crimson Tide Head Coach Nick Saban Gets Praised By Donald Trump
At Thursday night’s commencement ceremony, Nick Saban introduced former President Donald Trump, who delivered a speech touching on a range of topics, with a particular focus on Alabama’s athletic programs. Trump praised Saban, saying,
“Nick (Saban), what a great coach. Let’s bring him back. No, you have a good coach right now, though. You have a good coach right now.”
He also commended Alabama not just for its football success, but for becoming “one of the nation’s best basketball schools.”
In 2024, head football coach Kalen DeBoer led the Crimson Tide to a 9-3 record, though the team missed out on a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff. Alabama will look to rebound in 2025. On the basketball side, head coach Nate Oats guided the Tide to the Final Four in the 2023-2024 season, falling to UConn. The team followed that up with an Elite Eight appearance, led by Grant Nelson and Marcus Sears, before being eliminated by Duke.
While Trump’s remark about bringing back Saban was likely in jest, the 73-year-old legendary coach is now retired and working in television. Saban retired with seven national titles—six at Alabama and one at LSU—and a career record of 292-71-1. Still, if Alabama falls short again in 2025, pressure could mount on DeBoer from fans hoping for a Saban return, however unlikely.
