Nick Saban, the seven-time national championship coach now serving as a college football analyst, reflected Friday on the only time he was fired in his career, taking full responsibility for his dismissal as defensive backs coach at Ohio State more than four decades ago.
Appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Saban recounted the episode from his early coaching days under head coach Earle Bruce.
“I got fired when I was a defensive backs coach at Ohio State.. I actually love Ohio State and I loved it when I coached there.. It was my fault and I can’t blame anybody else for that,” Saban said.
Saban joined the Buckeyes staff in 1980 after coaching defensive backs at West Virginia. He replaced Pete Carroll, who had moved on to become defensive coordinator at North Carolina State. At the time, Saban was in his late 20s and building a reputation as a meticulous teacher of secondary techniques.
Ohio State finished 9-3 in both 1980 and 1981 under Bruce, sharing the Big Ten title in the latter season. The Buckeyes allowed 15.1 points per game in 1980 but saw that figure rise to 21.1 the following year. Passing defense proved particularly vulnerable in 1981, with opponents averaging more than 276 yards through the air.
The breaking point came in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 29, 1981. Favored Ohio State edged Navy 31-28 in rainy conditions in Memphis. Navy, a run-oriented team that averaged fewer than 50 passing yards per game during the regular season, threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns against Saban’s secondary. The performance, combined with turnovers and a blocked punt, left Bruce dissatisfied despite the victory.
The next morning, Bruce summoned the coaching staff and dismissed the entire defensive unit, including coordinator Dennis Fryzel, defensive line coach Steve Szabo and Saban. Saban has said in past reflections that he was attempting to install complex coverages with a young group of underclassmen, pushing them faster than they were ready to absorb.
Saban later acknowledged the shortcomings. He has described the experience as a formative lesson in accountability and the need to align with a head coach’s expectations. After the firing, he quickly landed as defensive backs coach at Navy in 1982, then advanced to defensive coordinator at Michigan State and eventually head coaching roles at Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama.
His career trajectory after Columbus stands in sharp contrast to that early setback. Saban compiled a 292-71-1 record as a college head coach and secured national titles at LSU in 2003 and six more at Alabama between 2009 and 2020. He also spent time in the NFL as a defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns and head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Throughout his rise, Saban maintained respect for Bruce and Ohio State. Following Bruce’s death in 2018, Saban praised him as a great teacher and competitor who helped shape his approach. Bruce’s coaching tree included future head coaches such as Urban Meyer, Jim Tressel, Dom Capers and Carroll in addition to Saban.
On the McAfee program, Saban’s comments underscored his affection for the program despite the abrupt end to his tenure. He emphasized personal responsibility rather than external factors, a theme consistent with the standards he later demanded of players and assistants during his championship runs.
Saban, now a co-host on ESPN’s “College GameDay,” continues to analyze the sport he dominated for nearly two decades at Alabama. His appearance Friday offered a rare personal window into an early career stumble that few fans associate with one of college football’s most successful figures.
The admission resonated with viewers given Saban’s reputation for exacting standards and reluctance to dwell on setbacks. In the years since leaving Columbus, he never again faced termination, building programs defined by discipline and results.
Ohio State’s 1981 season ended with a shared conference championship and a bowl win, yet the defensive struggles prompted staff changes that launched Saban onto a path few could have predicted.
From an unemployed 30-year-old assistant to a coach with seven national titles, the episode remains a footnote that Saban himself frames as entirely self-inflicted.
