"My favorite coach that I've ever covered": ESPN CFB analyst Kirk Herbstreit unravels his private relationship with Alabama HC Nick Saban

Nick Saban’s greatness as a football coach is not up for debate. His impact on the sport is undeniable. At 71, he's still going strong. Who Saban is off the field is not known by many people, however. The side of him that many see at post-game pressers is the no-nonsense, witty Saban who gives back to the journalists as much as they give him.

One of the leading names in college football media, Kirk Herbstreit, recently had a lot to say about another side of Saban. Herbstreit hosts College GameDay on ESPN and has covered Saban for years. But before his foray into media, he had a stint playing at Ohio State. Therefore, the demanding nature of football life is not strange to him.

Speaking with the utmost sense of solemnity, Herbstreit said

“He is somebody I have always really admired. I’m an old-school kind of disciplinarian myself, so I am drawn to him.”

Speaking further, he described the kind of view he has of the man. He said:

“I see him as a friend. I see him as a guy I can talk to. If I am having an issue in my life, he is one of the first people I would probably call because of how much his words mean to me.”

He then commented on Saban’s honesty:

“He’s not always going to tell you what you want to hear, but he will tell you what he really thinks.”

Herbstreit appreciates the weight of the Alabama head coach’s experience and what he represents.

“I’m just a big believer in wisdom and leaning on people like Nick Saban for advice and guidance because they’ve been through so much in their life.”

Herbstreit went on to confirm that, behind the tough exterior of the coach many fans get to see, there is a likable side. He said:

“There’s Nick Saban the coach we all bow down to. Then there’s Nick Saban the man that I am really a big fan of. He’s probably my favorite coach that I’ve ever had a chance to cover.”

Nick Saban beyond football

His players and staff see this side of him. A side that showers fatherly care and affection on his players and members of staff. That side has endeared him greatly to the Alabama Crimson Tide football program and, indeed, the entire university community.

This is also the side that has kept an amiable relationship with rival coaches. In other words, it’s about more than just football for Saban. It is more about humanity.