Collin Cowherd called on Alabama head coach Nick Saban to apologize for directly accusing Texas A&M of paying for recruits at a public event Wednesday evening.
While Saban’s comments could be interpreted as uncharacteristically off-the-cut remarks from somebody who momentarily let his guard down, Cowherd offered another assessment. The Fox Sports radio host believes Saban wasn’t criticizing Texas A&M as much as imploring Alabama’s deep-pocketed donors in the room to keep up.
He also suggested Saban shouldn’t criticize another program’s recruiting tactics when he grayshirted players at the start of his Alabama career, a practice Cowherd repeatedly called “sleazy” and likened to an early transfer portal.
“Nick’s being a hypocrite. Nick said it for a reason. Nick made it personal. Nick went over the line,” Cowherd said. “Nick needs to apologize. There is no proof Texas A&M is buying players.”
While Cowherd didn’t seem too convinced that those claims are false, he still believes Saban crossed the line with a personal attack.
“He needs to call Jimbo and apologize,” Cowherd added. “He picked on kids, he ripped a coach, he ripped a program. It’s unprofessional and Nick Saban, frankly, is held to a higher standard.”
Fisher said during his press conference that Saban called, but he wouldn’t answer. Furthermore, the Aggies head coach called their relationship “done.”
Saban later offered an apology during a SiriusXM radio appearance Thursday, calling it a “mistake” that he “singled anybody out.” Yet he didn’t address Fisher or A&M directly.
Cowherd said Saban “stepped in it,” but “he did it to send a message” to donors and boosters.