National Signing Day 2024: The Influence of Nick Saban’s Retirement on College Football Recruiting
Nick Saban’s departure sparked a whirlwind coaching carousel ahead of the traditional National Signing Day. Throughout the 2023 college football season, the focus had been on conference realignment, but attention shifted to on-field action as the season progressed. Georgia held the top spot throughout the regular season, Alabama returned to the College Football Playoff, and Michigan secured a victory over Ohio State for the third consecutive year.
However, on January 8, Michigan claimed the spotlight with a victory over Washington in the College Football Playoff National Championship, ending Alabama’s 17-year reign. Just days later, on February 1, both programs faced a significant change as their national championship-winning head coach, Nick Saban, announced his retirement, setting off an unprecedented January in college football history.
The coaching carousel that ensued, triggered by Saban’s retirement, eclipsed even the upheaval of Thanksgiving weekend in 2021 when Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for USC and Brian Kelly departed Notre Dame for LSU. Kalen DeBoer left Washington to take on the monumental task of replacing Saban at Alabama, prompting Jedd Fisch to depart Arizona for the Huskies job, and Brent Brennan to leave San Jose State for Arizona. Additionally, Jim Harbaugh decided to return to the NFL, leading to Sherrone Moore taking over as head coach of the reigning national champions.
This flurry of coaching changes unleashed a flurry of recruiting activity in a typically quiet month, with the traditional National Signing Day fast approaching on February 7.
Alabama saw the departure of its highest-rated offensive signee, five-star QB Julian Sayin, who transferred to Ohio State, along with four-star wide receiver Jameer Grimsley, who ended up at Florida. However, the Crimson Tide received a boost when five-star receiver Ryan Williams reclassified to the 2024 class and reaffirmed his commitment.
Washington lost its top signee, four-star EDGE Noah Carter, who followed DeBoer to Alabama, along with several other recruits. Arizona also suffered losses, including four-star All-American quarterback Demond Williams, who transferred to Washington.
These changes, coupled with numerous decommitments from the 2025 class, highlight the profound impact of Saban’s retirement on college football recruiting. Throughout his legendary career, Saban secured the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation an impressive 10 times, leaving an enduring legacy even in retirement.
