Saban’s Tide contract yet to be signed

TUSCALOOSA | University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban may have gotten the job in early January, but he has yet to sign an employment contract.

Those involved aren’t very worried about it, though.

“I’m not concerned about that right now," Saban said Thursday after the Crimson Tide’s 14th practice of the spring.

“I’m focused on spring practice. There are no issues relative to it. These things just take a little time sometimes."

It’s been 15 weeks since Saban arrived to a rock star’s welcome at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport, ending weeks of speculation about whether he would leave the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and return to college football.

It was widely reported that Saban and UA officials agreed to an eight-year, $30 million -- some say $32 million -- contract that would make him the highest-paid college football coach in history. However, Saban’s contract and those of his assistants have yet to be brought before the UA trustees’ compensation committee for approval.

“Those negotiations are proceeding fine, and parties are working well together," said Doug Walker, spokesman of University of Alabama athletics. “It’s not a point of contention for anybody here."

Kellee Reinhart, spokeswoman for the board of trustees, agreed that there has not been enough time.

“Preparing contracts for the head football coach and the nine-member coaching staff that has just been assembled at the University of Alabama takes time," she said in a prepared statement. “We anticipate the campus will have all the materials ready to bring to the compensation committee of the board of trustees in the near future."

Saban’s Memphis-based agent, Jimmy Sexton, declined to comment Thursday.

Contracts left unsigned have been an issue for UA’s athletics department before.

Former coach Dennis Franchione left after the 2002 season without signing a lucrative contract extension offer that would have kept him at Alabama for 10 more years. Moore was blamed in some circles for not enticing Franchione to sign the new contract, while others believe Franchione had no intention of signing before he bolted for Texas A&M.

His successor, Mike Price, was fired four months after being announced as head coach. He had not inked his name on a reported $10 million, seven-year contract and as a result, was denied severance pay.

Mike Shula, announced as head coach days after Price’s dismissal, didn’t dilly-dally. UA trustees approved his contract six weeks after he was named head coach.

Reach Adam Jones at adam.jones@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0230.