Nick Saban's run as a star attraction at SEC Media Days might not be over, after all.
The former Alabama football coach was a staple at the annual preseason event during his 17 seasons helming the Crimson Tide program, and his appearances were highly anticipated because of the brand he represented and his sometimes-underappreciated gift for generating headlines when speaking with reporters.
It's no surprise, then, that his new bosses want to capitalize on that history as well.
Even though Saban retired as Alabama's coach last January, he'll be back in the fray next week in Dallas when the SEC reconvenes over four days to discuss the 2024 college football season.
ESPN announced Thursday that Saban will be part of the army of commentators the SEC Network is bringing to the Omni Dallas Hotel.
It's unclear exactly what role Saban will play in ESPN's coverage, but there will be three different daily SEC Network shows broadcasted from Dallas, in addition to SportsCenter segments and press conferences with all 16 SEC head coaches.
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What will Saban say about new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer ? What does he think about the additions of Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC? What does he have to say about old rivals Georgia and LSU ? Will he criticize any of the players, coaches and programs he would have been tight-lipped about just a few months ago?
There's a decent chance what he says about the SEC could overshadow what the rest of the league's coaches have to say about the upcoming season.
This will be one of Saban's first big moments to showcase what kind of analyst he'll be in his new, non-coaching role. He signed with ESPN in February and will primarily appear on "College Gameday" throughout the 2024 season. He was also part of the network's NFL draft coverage in April and earned rave reviews for his analysis of first-round draft picks.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Former Alabama coach Nick Saban to appear at SEC Media Days with ESPN
