Nick Saban remains 'very committed to Alabama'

[November 07, 2013]  TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- Nick Saban says he remains "very committed to the University of Alabama" and disputed an account of his agent's conversation with Texas early this year.

The Crimson Tide coach was asked Wednesday about an Associated Press report regarding his agent's conversation in January about possibly replacing Mack Brown at Texas.

Saban's agent, Jimmy Sexton, indicated that the coach would consider leaving Tuscaloosa for the Texas job during a January phone call, according to an email sent by former Texas Regent Tom Hicks.

"Sexton confirmed that UT is the only job Nick would possibly consider leaving Alabama for, and that his success there created special pressure for him," Hicks wrote of a call involving Sexton, himself and current Regent Wallace Hall.

Asked about the account, Saban said: "No one's said anything like that."

He continued: "First of all, I don't know where y'all get these reports and I don't know where y'all get the information," said Saban, who smiled when a reporter asked about the AP report. "But I've already commented on all this stuff. There's nothing new or different that's ever happened. I'm very committed to the University of Alabama, love being here. We've talked about it before. Don't need to talk about it again.

"We've got a big game with LSU this week. That's where our focus is and that's what we're focusing on. There's really nothing new to comment about."

Hicks detailed the call in a Sept. 24 email that was obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press through an open-records request.

Saban, who turned 62 on Oct. 31, has at least twice said since the initial report of the Texas conversation that he was too old to take over another program.

"I'm too damn old to go someplace else and start over, I can tell you that," he said after the Tennessee game.

Sexton has declined to comment.

It isn't clear who initiated the contact between the agent and Texas.

Two days after the call, Hicks approached Brown about the possibility of the Texas coach retiring. Brown, who is under contract until 2020, said he wanted to stay. He has led the Longhorns to five straight wins and the Big 12 Conference lead after an 0-2 start.

[Associated Press; By JOHN ZENOR]

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