Josh Pate Highlights Warning Signs From Tail End of Nick Saban's Tenure

CBS Sports' Josh Pate is raising an interesting question about the final years of Nick Saban’s tenure with the Alabama Crimson Tide, pointing out warning signs that may have gone unnoticed at the time.

“You can't know what it would have looked like if Saban was still there like Nick Saban,” Pate said, suggesting that while Alabama remained dominant, there were underlying issues that could have led to a decline.

One of the biggest concerns Pate highlighted was the number of one-possession games Alabama played in Saban’s final seasons. “They had fortuitous draws from the playoff committee or fortuitous bounces of the ball. They were good in one-possession games. They had Bryce Young walking around the building, they didn’t have to pay the price for it.”

Essentially, Pate is arguing that Alabama’s success masked some deeper problems. The presence of elite talent like Young helped the Tide escape close games, but the cracks were starting to show.

Another key issue was penalties per game, which Pate noted had increased significantly. “You look at the penalties per game, went way up. And so there were some of the blinking red lights already.”

Alabama’s depth also wasn’t what it used to be, according to Pate. “Their depth was lesser in his final years than had previously been.” This was a stark contrast to the early years of Saban’s dynasty, when Alabama routinely had NFL-ready backups waiting in the wings.

Pate wrapped up his argument by questioning how Alabama would have fared had Saban stayed longer. “And so what I'm saying is how do we know Saban wouldn't have had some nine-and-threes mixed in is my point.”

While Alabama remained a powerhouse, the warning signs were there, and had Saban stayed longer, the program might have faced a more noticeable decline.