There is no secret that ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit has a strong relationship with Alabama head coach Nick Saban.
So strong that Herbstreit calls Saban not only his favorite coach but mentor as well. What draws Herbstreit to Saban is his old-school style of coaching, which he likes.
“Just how he teaches me,” Herbstreit said. “He’s always been a teacher, like a mentor really. (He’s) someone I have always admired. I’m an old school-kind-of disciplinarian myself, so I’m drawn to him.”
Herbie also considers Saban a friend.
“I see him different,” he said. “I see him as a friend. I see him as a guy I can talk to. If I’m having an issue in my life, he’s one of the first people I would probably call because of how much his words mean to me because he isn’t always going to tell you what you want to hear. He’s going to tell you what he really thinks.
“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,” he concluded.
He also said something that won’t please the rest of college football, especially Ohio State fans. He said Saban is his favorite coach.
“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 said. He’s probably my favorite coach that I’ve ever had a chance to cover.”
Herbstreit just last week said that the college football world shouldn’t sleep on the Crimson Tide this season despite losing both Bryce Young and Will Anderson to the NFL.
