Texas has taken a big step up in competition by moving from the Big 12 to the SEC, and it sounds like Nick Saban is expecting the Longhorns to experience some growing pains.
Saban is covering SEC Media Days this week for ESPN. On Monday, the seven-time national champion provided the type of commentary that we rarely got from him during his legendary coaching career. Saban had a particularly blunt comment about Texas joining the SEC.
“You know, what kind of tickles me is all these people asking these questions about how Texas always ran the conference they were in — they’re not gonna run the SEC,” Saban said. “There’s a whole lot of arrogant people in a lot of places in the SEC, so they can forget all about that. They’ll be a good team and a great program and (head coach Steve Sarkisian) will do a great job, but that’s not gonna be a problem.”
Nick Saban on Texas:
“What kind of tickles me is all these people asking questions about how Texas always ran the conference they were in. They’re not gonna run the SEC.”
(via @SECNetwork, @PCGreenfield) https://t.co/pe6IbOAzlH pic.twitter.com/BISjA7kFlh
— On3 (@On3sports) July 15, 2024
Texas didn’t exactly run the Big 12, either. They won the conference last year and reached the College Football Playoff, but they had been rebuilding for quite some time before that. Prior to last year, they had not finished first in the Big 12 since 2009.
Saban stunned the college football world when he retired after last season, but fans have been entertained by his analysis with ESPN — even if he had a little trouble gaining access to SEC Media Days.
