Nick Saban

High school

Monongah High School

College

West Virginia University

Nick Saban was born on October 31, 1951, in Fairmont, West Virginia, and grew up in the small coal-mining community of Idamay in Marion County, where his father ran a Sunoco service station and installed in him a relentless, detail-obsessed work ethic that would define his life's work. He attended Monongah High School before playing college football at West Virginia University as a defensive back under coach Bobby Bowden. After a brief stint in the Cleveland Browns' organization, Saban turned to coaching and rose methodically through the ranks at WVU, Ohio State, Michigan State, LSU, the Cleveland Browns (NFL), the Miami Dolphins, and finally the University of Alabama. At LSU he won the 2003 BCS National Championship. At Alabama (2007-2023), he constructed the most dominant dynasty in college football history, winning seven national championships (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2023) and reshaping the entire sport with his system known as "The Process." He produced more NFL first-round draft picks than any other program, was named SEC Coach of the Year eight times, and is universally regarded as the greatest college football coach in the history of the sport. He retired in January 2024 with a career record of 292-71-1. Born and raised in West Virginia.