Sources: Alabama to name field after Saban

The University of Alabama plans to honor former coach Nick Saban by naming its football playing field for him at Bryant-Denny Stadium, sources told ESPN.

A meeting of the Alabama system board of trustees is scheduled for Friday, and on the agenda is the “consideration of resolution approving a naming at Bryant-Denny Stadium at UA.” A ceremony to dedicate the new field name is expected to be held on Sept. 7 in conjunction with the South Florida game.

Saban, who retired in January, won six national championships in 17 seasons at Alabama. He was 108-9 at home as the Crimson Tide’s coach, and they won 21 in a row in Tuscaloosa before losing to Texas in Week 2 last season. In his final eight seasons as coach, Saban’s only SEC home loss was to LSU in 2019. That LSU team went 15-0 and won the national championship.

Saban is now working as a college football analyst for ESPN. He already has a statue of him erected just outside the stadium on the Walk of Champions along with Alabama’s other national championship-winning coaches.

TideIllustrated.com was the first to report the news Thursday of Alabama’s plans to honor Saban.