Nick Saban Blames NIL Era for James Franklin, Napier and High-Profile CFB HC Firings

Amid a wave of high-profile college football head coach firings this season, former Alabama coach Nick Saban made it clear that he feels these developments are a direct result of the NIL era in which student-athletes are being paid to play.

"You know, I'm not [surprised] because everybody's raising money to pay players," Saban said of the big-name firings, per ESPN's Mark Schlabach. "So, the people that are giving the money think they have a voice and they're just like a bunch of fans. When they get frustrated and disappointed, they put pressure on the [athletic directors] to take action, and it's the way of the world."

Schlabach noted that there have been nine in-season firings so far at FBS schools this season, with six at programs in Power 4 conferences. Most recently, Florida fired head coach Billy Napier on Sunday despite owing him a $21 million buyout. If that wasn't eye-popping enough, former Penn State head coach James Franklin is owed $49 million following his Oct. 12 firing, the second-largest contract buyout in college football history.

Saban, who now works as an analyst for ESPN, has long criticized how NIL has changed the college football landscape. He let his feelings be known once again while speaking to Schlabach.

"It's really different," Saban said. "Not in a good way from a developmental standpoint; a good way from a quality-of-life standpoint [for the players]. But we need to find a system that improves the quality of life of players but still focuses on the right stuff -- development, getting an education, all those kinds of [things]."

Schlabach pointed out that more coaching changes could be coming soon, as Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said Monday that the football program will be under a comprehensive review after the season, raising questions about head coach Mike Norvell's job security.

Conversely, Wisconsin's Luke Fickell received a vote of confidence from athletic director Chris McIntosh on Monday, but it will be hard to justify keeping him if he doesn't improve his 15-18 record with the Badgers before his third season at the helm comes to an end.