Nick Saban won seven national championships and 297 college games, but one of the biggest turning points in his career nearly never happened. After going 34-24-1 at Michigan State, Saban found himself frustrated with the administration and a reported contract dispute. LSU offered him a way out, but he wasn’t exactly convinced. That’s where Miss Terry stepped in. While Saban was having second thoughts, his wife pushed him toward the decision that would eventually help turn him into a college football legend.
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ESPN’s six-part docuseries Saban revisits the decision that changed Nick Saban’s career, including a contract dispute at Michigan State that contributed to his eventual departure. Saban hadn’t seen the LSU campus before agreeing to take the job, but his wife, Miss Terry, helped convince him. Yet just before his introductory press conference, Saban developed second thoughts and considered backing out. That’s when Miss Terry stepped in with some blunt advice.
“Saban to LSU: 1) Michigan State tells Saban they won’t give him $100k they promised,” ESPN’s Peter Burns’ X post read. “2) Mrs. Terry goes on LSU interview, not sold till she saw players in weight room. 3) Calls Mrs. Terry before 1st presser & said he wanted to come home & she said, ‘put your big boy p***es on.'”
Saban had previously attracted interest from NFL teams, including the New York Giants. According to ESPN’s Peter Burns, Michigan State informed him that he would not receive a promised $100,000, adding to his frustrations with the administration. When LSU approached him, Saban sent Miss Terry to evaluate the program, fearing backlash if Michigan State discovered he was interviewing elsewhere.
According to an X post by Jerry Harlow, Terry spent “a couple of days” touring LSU and found its stadium and academic facilities underwhelming. However, the talent she observed in the weight room caught her attention, convincing her that the program had considerable potential. Her assessment persuaded Saban to accept the job, although his first impressions of Baton Rouge left him questioning the decision.
“He [Saban] ducked into a corner, called Terry, and said he wanted out,” Harlow’s X post read. “She told him to put his ‘big boy pa***es on’, get in there, and go to work. He stayed, coached LSU for five years, and won the 2003 national title.”
Saban corroborated the incident during his June 2025 induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. He explained that he had avoided interviewing publicly because Michigan State officials would “absolutely crucify” him. Despite his reservations, he stayed at LSU, compiling a 48-16 record (.750 winning percentage) and leading the Tigers to the 2003 national championship.
After five seasons at LSU, Saban moved to the NFL, going 15-17 in two seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He publicly denied plans to coach Alabama in December 2006 but reversed course, accepting the job on January 3, 2007, amid criticism over his earlier denial.
Miss Terry believed college football was a better fit for her husband, and Alabama’s success ultimately reinforced that view. Following a 7-6 debut season in 2007, the Crimson Tide went 26-2 across 2008 and 2009, claiming the national championship in 2009. Saban added another title in 2011 and finished his Alabama tenure with six national championships and a 206-29 on-field record before retiring in January 2024.
What began with Miss Terry recognizing LSU’s potential and refusing to let Saban walk away ultimately became a pivotal chapter in a coaching career that produced seven national championships.
Saban premiered Thursday, October 8, at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN. All six episodes are available on the ESPN app, with additional television broadcasts scheduled through November 5.