He's 72. It's young man's game for a start. Also, he hasn't won a national championship since 2020. Georgia has won it twice in the last 3 years and who knows what would have happened had they Georgia beat 'Bama.
The SEC power was shifting to Georgia. So, he was going to possible lose 4A and 5A players to them.
The portal. Deion has changed the game. The portal would have hurt them. Players also going to the NFL early is the norm. The NFL is slowly looking like the NCAA basketball with the one and done.
He's doing the smart thing. He'll go down as the greatest college coach ever. I'm not saying he isn't but white boys will make damn sure he is no matter what.
But I hate to say it and I hate 'Bama with a passion but can't he's got the championships that says he's the best to do it. Bear Bryant won 6 but he started in '58 and ended in '82. Also, since 2009 Saban has never gone longer than 3 years without a title. That's crazy.