In a move that no one's ever made any attempt to hide, ESPN formally announced Wednesday that Nick Saban will join the College GameDay roster this fall.
“ESPN and College GameDay have played such an important role in the growth of college football, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to join their team,” said Saban. “I’ll do my best to offer additional insights and perspectives to contribute to College GameDay, the ultimate Saturday tradition for college football fans.”
Saban will travel with the team, contribute to ESPN's NFL draft coverage, and make appearances on SEC Network.
Saban maintained a close relationship with college football's pregame show of record throughout his Alabama tenure, appearing in multiple commercials over the years.
Saban famously mulled the idea of leaving Alabama to join the GameDay desk in 2013, the same year he also considered the idea of leaving for Texas. He never took the Texas job, obviously, while GameDay had to wait a decade.
“Nick Saban is a singular, iconic presence in college football. He is also an extremely gifted communicator, who will immediately add even more credibility, authority and entertainment value to ESPN, including our esteemed College GameDay show," said ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro.
Saban frequently appeared on GameDay in the rare years in which Alabama did not play for the national championship, and had a regular spot on Pat McAfee's show, which is now licensed by ESPN.
Saban also granted his first (and thus far only) post-retirement interview to ESPN and Rece Davis.
The GameDay appointment will allow Saban to maintain his perch as the most influential person in college football, while giving ESPN a counterpunch to the expertise Urban Meyer brings to Fox's Saturday morning competitor.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.