‘Anything that gets us back to normal makes me really, really happy’: Coach Saban on the new normal

VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (WBRC) - It didn’t take Nick Saban long Thursday to sum up how he feels about being back out on the golf course for his annual Nick’s Kids Foundation Golf Tournament, which was canceled last year due to the pandemic.

“Anything we do to get back to normal makes me feel really, really, happy,” Saban said.

But Saban isn’t just hitting the golf course as part of his return to normalcy, he’s also hitting the recruiting trail. For the first time in 15 months, he can now talk face-to-face with recruits.

“I think it’s so much better than zooming. Technology allows us to do that, which is certainly better than talking on the phone, but the face-to-face contact where you can sit there and look them eye-to-eye with their parents, just as well as the prospects, is something I’ve always really enjoyed,” said Saban.

And he isn’t wasting any time. The NCAA’s dead period ended Tuesday, and Alabama had recruits on campus the following day.

“I think it’s very important for guys to make a decision and I think it’s important for them to do that face-to-face,” he said.

From recruiting to the return of summer workouts for the defending National Champs, Saban is glad he can return to his normal coaching routine.

“I miss being and having normal face-to-face contact with everyone.”

Dozens of golfers played in the Nick’s Kids Foundation Golf Tournament, which has helped raise more than $10 million for children in need throughout Alabama and the Southeast.

“This is in honor of my dad,” Saban said.

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