Nick Saban Named as Quiet Roadblock as President Donald Trump’s College Sports Commission Hits a Sudden Pause

A new twist in the college athlete pay saga might be coming straight from President Donald Trump’s desk. After a Thursday night meeting with former Bama coach Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, where Trump delivered the university’s commencement speech, the conversation turned to the controversial NIL system. Saban voiced his frustrations, saying the current setup has hurt college sports, not by calling for NIL to be scrapped, but by pushing for a smart “reform” to fix the uneven playing field. Trump nodded in agreement and reportedly tasked his aides to explore drafting an executive order to shake things up. So, the college sports world could be on the brink of a major shakeup.

Well, Nick Saban was expected to be the star co-chair of President Donald Trump’s college athletics commission, alongside Texas power player Cody Campbell, the man behind Texas Tech’s Matador Club NIL collective. Together, they were set to tackle the biggest issues in college sports: transfer portal chaos, booster-driven NIL payments, athlete employment rights, and even Title IX challenges. But there’s a twist. According to insiders, Saban has now become the silent roadblock. Once slated to lead the charge, he’s reportedly cooling on the idea, casting doubt on whether the commission is needed at all.

On May 29, Adam Breneman weighed in on whether Nick Saban stalled President Trump’s college sports fix. He said, “President Trump’s College Sports Commission just got put on pause, and Nick Saban might be the reason why.” Then, Breneman added, “Coach Saban was supposed to be the co-chair of the commission, but then he questioned if a commission was even necessary, saying, ‘I don’t think we even need a commission.’ And, ‘We know what the issues are. We just have to have the people who are willing to create the solution.'” His words shine a light on why the plan hit the brakes and left college sports fans wondering what’s next.

Now, this pause gives Congress more time to push federal NIL rules—but it also cranks up the chaos for schools and players, according to Adam. So, what does this really mean for college football? Adam explains, “For starters, the SEC and Big Ten will be thrilled.” They’ll keep ruling the roost in the wild, unregulated world of NIL and transfer portal moves. Meanwhile, the House vs. NCAA settlement is back in the spotlight. Until Congress steps in, athletes and coaches face total uncertainty. Honestly, we’re right back in the NCAA Wild.

But the story doesn’t end there. Remember, Senator Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., helped arrange the meeting, hoping it would kickstart real change for NIL. On Wednesday, he said, “Hopefully we’ll get to sit down with Coach Saban. President Trump wants to help on this NIL. I don’t know how he can do it through an executive order. But possibly we can sit down and talk some insight of what Coach Saban thinks about it, what I think about it, and we can come up with some sort of agreement because right now it’s in a tailspin.” But now, the clock is ticking, and everyone’s eager for a solution.

If Trump follows through, an executive order could shake up years of legal battles around the NCAA and government rules. We know over the past 5 years, courts have chipped away at NCAA restrictions on athlete pay and transfers, and that fight isn’t over yet. But today’s CFB world looks very different. Athletes can transfer on a dime and cash in big from boosters. And things are about to get even wilder. The House settlement, which would let schools pay athletes directly, is moving through its final legal hurdles. So, the game is changing fast, and nothing will ever be the same.

While Saban’s co-chair role hangs in the balance, a former Bama athlete opened up about the challenges of growing under the legendary coach.

Nick Saban’s intense workouts during his coaching tenure

Well, JC Latham was one of Nick Saban’s most trusted players during his time at Alabama. The OT shined for 3 seasons before the Tennessee Titans picked him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. On the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, Latham opened up about Saban’s legendary, no-nonsense workout style.

“I remember the first time we had our workouts, the dynamic portion we were going for 30 minutes straight,” recalled Latham. Adding, “It was literally an hour-long workout with I think it was like a 30-second break in the middle of it. Even during the break, you were supposed to grab your water and keep working. You can’t stop and put your hands on your knees.” That’s the kind of relentless grind Saban demands — no pauses, no excuses.

“Four times a week, you’re grinding through these workouts, plus lifting — it’s non-stop,” stated Latham. Adding, “Then you transition into spring ball, which is another beast. They break the team into four groups, usually spreading out reps. But for the O-line, we only had about 13 guys. Saban wasn’t having any of that ‘let’s break it down’ mindset. The starters got two backups, and the third-stringers got two backups. So we were pushing through 30 reps straight.” That’s Nick Saban’s tough-love approach — pushing every player to their limits, no shortcuts allowed.

Now, the question is: did that strictness help Saban secure the co-chair position or not?