Nick Saban and his College GameDay colleagues spent part of Saturday’s show in Tuscaloosa casting the Hollywood version of the seven-time national champion’s life, two days after ESPN released its six-part “Saban” docuseries.
GameDay host Rece Davis split his vote between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, while Saban picked a young Pacino before adding, “But they’re never going to do one, so we don’t have to worry about answering that question.”
Who should play Nick Saban?
Pacino drew the most support on set. ESPN’s Steve Coughlin, better known as Stanford Steve, backed him outright, putting Pacino on three ballots once Davis and Saban are counted.
ESPN reporter Marty Smith went with Nicolas Cage. Terry Saban, who has been married to the former Alabama coach since 1971 and sat for present-day interviews in the docuseries, chose Tom Cruise. GameDay analyst Pat McAfee, who sits next to Saban on the desk each Saturday, named Will Smith or Leonardo DiCaprio.
Saban’s prediction that a biopic won’t happen came the same week ESPN put his career on screen in documentary form. Directed by Russell Dinallo and produced by Words + Pictures, “Saban” includes interviews with more than 70 people, among them Bill Belichick, Kirby Smart, Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa.
J.K. Simmons fits the Saban role
My vote goes to J.K. Simmons, specifically the version of him that played Terence Fletcher in “Whiplash.” Simmons won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2015 as a demanding bandleader at the fictional Shaffer Conservatory who drives a young drummer, played by Miles Teller, past his breaking point.
Fletcher’s fixation on every detail of a performance mirrors the standard Saban enforced over 17 seasons at Alabama, which the docuseries uses as the title of its first episode, “The Process.” The Grosse Pointe, Michigan, native is 71, while Saban turns 75 on Oct. 31, so Simmons could play the coach’s later Alabama years without heavy makeup. Though he’ll need a pretty good hairpiece.
When does the Saban docuseries air?
All six episodes are streaming on the ESPN App, and ESPN is airing them weekly on TV. Episode 2, “Death Valley,” airs Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m. ET, and the finale, “Pride,” airs Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. ET.
The casting debate came hours before No. 2 Georgia visits No. 6 Alabama at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC with both teams at 5-0. Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, who played for Saban at Alabama, is the guest picker, and forecasted inclement weather moved the show inside Coleman Coliseum.
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