Maligned Jeremy Pruitt may have factored into Nick Saban’s retirement

While Nick Saban's retirement as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide was always going to be shocking whenever it came down simply due to the magnitude of the decision, it was not entirely out of left field. In his 70s and with the modern college football landscape dramatically changing over recent years, the time for the GOAT among head coaches to step away seemed near for quite some time.

However, a new rumor suggests that there may have been another factor in the decision, one of keen interest to the fans of one of Alabama's biggest rivals, the Tennessee Volunteers.

Jeremy Pruitt is perhaps the dirtiest word in Knoxville after his disastrous tenure at Tennessee from 2018-20 and the resulting penalties that came from it. Not only did he manage just a paltry 18-19 record over three seasons but 13 of those wins were vacated as a result of his recruiting violations. Then, in 2023, a six-year show-cause was handed out by the NCAA for Pruitt.

That's where Saban then comes into play. Because you see, after Pete Golding and Alabama parted ways following the 2023 season, Saban reportedly wanted to bring Pruitt back to Tuscaloosa to return to the defensive coordinator role he held from 2016-17. And the show-cause meant that wasn't a realistic option.

CFB rumors: Nick Saban's retirement influenced by inability to hire Jeremy Pruitt

Alabama insider Drew DeArmond of 97.7 ESPN The Zone recently appeared with Dave Hooker on Off the Hook Sports on his show to talk about many things, including Saban's retirement. And in that conversation, he noted that the inability to hire Pruitt was a factor in why Saban ultimately stepped away from college football.

"I think a big part of it, too, was that Jeremy Pruitt, after his issues with the NCAA, is not coaching right now at the college level," DeArmond said.

"Coach Saban couldn't get Pruitt back," he continued. "Pruitt, he and Kirby Smart were the two best he ever had to do it (as defensive coordinators). And Coach Saban spent a lot of time the year before trying to get Pruitt back, because they thought he (Pruitt) would be cleared potentially. Maybe through his lawyer they could work out a deal with the NCAA and he would be back at Alabama. But it didn't happen."

Saban and Alabama ultimately hired veteran SEC coordinator Kevin Steele as defensive coordinator in a move most believed to only be a stopgap decision and not much more. Pruitt, meanwhile, didn't end up back in the college ranks.

DeArmond also noted that, had Saban been able to hire Pruitt without the one-year show-cause suspension that would've happened, that the legendary head man may still be with the Crimson Tide instead of Kalen DeBoer.

Of course, this wasn't the only factor in Saban stepping away from Alabama and college football. The transfer portal and NIL have been reported factors previously when it comes to that decision, not to mention the obvious ones like his age and overall fatigue from the job. However, it's fascinating to note that Pruitt's show-cause keeping him from Bama may have sped up the process more so than the timeline of if Pruitt has been able to return without penalty.