"He said, 'I was responsible for Alabama getting Nick Saban'": Donald Trump recalls light-hearted interaction with Bama's rival coach Tommy Tuberville

US President Donald Trump was at Coleman Coliseum for the 2025 University of Alabama graduation ceremony. Trump was introduced by former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban with a story from the Crimson Tide's White House visit in 2018.

Trump also had a story of his own. He recalled how former Auburn head coach turned U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville took credit for Saban's entry into Alabama.

Trump recalled a light-hearted exchange from when Tuberville was launching his political career.

“A very wonderful man, a friend of mine — Senator Tommy Tuberville,” Trump said. “When he wanted to run for the Senate, I said, ‘Well, you beat Alabama six times in a row. How can you run for the Senate?’”

"He said, 'I was responsible for them getting Nick Saban.' I said, 'That’s a good reason.' And he won very easily. He won. But I’ll never forget that."

Tommy Tuberville famously led Auburn to six straight victories over bitter rivals Alabama from 2002 to 2007. It was during that stretch that Alabama made the decision to bring in Nick Saban.

The rest is history as Saban led the Crimson Tide from 2007 to 2023, winning six national championships. He led the program to a 206-29 record and retired after the 2023 season.

Nick Saban used his 2009 championship as a means to motivate Alabama graduates

Nick Saban also addressed the graduates of the University of Alabama Class of 2025 on Thursday. He took a look back on his first championship with the Crimson Tide in 2009 to inspire the 2025 graduates.

He said the Class of 2025 had the chance “to create a legacy of success.”

“You’re gonna face new challenges, you’re gonna face new opportunities now,” Saban said. “I always tell people that you need to be very wise about the goals that you set. But more importantly, you have to define ‘what do I need to do to accomplish those goals.’ That’s called ‘The Process.’”

As his speech progressed, Saban asked the graduates to have self-discipline, self-determination and accountability as they chart their careers outside college.