Nick Saban Says He Should Have Won 8 National Titles, Discusses Retirement Plans

Nick Saban is one of the most successful head coaches in the history of major college football, but the Alabama Crimson Tide's lead man still doesn't believe his coaching career has lived up to its fullest potential.

According to Connor Smolensky of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Saban revealed Wednesday in an interview with ESPN's Paul Finebaum that he should have far more than four national championships to his credit.

"We haven't finished the season in the last two seasons like we'd like," Saban said. "People talk about you won four national championships. Well, I feel like we've had good enough teams to win eight. So I feel like we failed four times. I feel like I failed four times."

The 63-year-old native of Fairmont, West Virginia, won his first national title at LSU in 2003 before taking three more at Alabama in 2009, 2011 and 2012.

With the exception of his first season with the Tide in 2007, he has never lost more than three games in a single campaign during his time at Alabama.

In addition to the years in which he won national championships, Saban's teams have lost two games or less five times, including earlier stints at Toledo and Michigan State.

While most coaches at Saban's age with such a strong track record might consider retirement in the near future, Saban told Finebaum he has plenty of good years left at the helm, per Smolensky.

"You know my mother had a hole-in-one when she was 80," Saban said. "I never had one. So I'm thinking I have 16 more good years of golf, and if I can play golf I should be able to coach."

Some might question Saban's rationale, but it is music to the ears of Crimson Tide fans. At the same time, it is likely a scary thought for Alabama's rivals in the SEC and across the nation.

Saban currently has 177 career wins to his credit, so if he coaches for another 16 years and averages 10 wins per season, he will reach 337 career victories, which would put him ahead of Alabama legend Bear Bryant on the all-time FBS list and behind only Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden.

One can only assume such a run would bring many more national titles as well, so while Saban can never get back the four championships he believes he squandered, there is no reason why he can't push his total to eight or more at some point. 

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