Nick Saban doesn’t do hypotheticals. He deals in dominance, discipline, and doing things the right way. But every now and then, even the GOAT lets himself wander into the land of what could’ve been. And when it comes to this Manning QB, it’s a twist of fate that still fascinates. He retired in January 2024, leaving college football with seven national titles, but he’s not shy about the one who got away, someone who could’ve changed LSU’s history. 

Flashback to 2001, and Nick Saban was in his second year at LSU. Meanwhile, Ole Miss had Eli Manning at the helm. That season, he led the Rebels to a 35-24 win over the Tigers, torching them for 249 yards and three TDs. LSU got sacked nine times and tossed three picks. Now, fast forward to July 11, 2025, Omaha Productions shared a throwback chat with Saban and Manning from Eli’s Places 2021.

Sitting by his lakeside home in Tuscaloosa, the GOAT coach dropped one of his what-ifs. “You know, I actually told your dad,” he said, referencing legendary Archie Manning. “If Eli would’ve come to LSU, we’d have won three national championships.” And that’s not just empty hype. 

Nick Saban already delivered LSU its first national championship in 2003 since 1958 and jump-started a golden era in Baton Rouge that would eventually see two more titles in 2007 and 2019. But with Eli Manning running the show instead of Rohan Davey, who knows how different things could’ve been? Because Manning isn’t your average SEC QB. From 2000 to 2003, he rewrote Ole Miss history with over 10,000 passing yards, 81 TDs, and records in nearly every statistical category. 

Eli Manning won the Maxwell Award, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, and finished third in the 2003 Heisman race. He was Ole Miss football. The only thing he didn’t get was a national title shot, thanks in part to Nick Saban’s Tigers narrowly edging him 17-14 in 2003. And it’s no wonder Nick Saban played an important role in his players’ lives in football and beyond. And even in retirement, his fingerprints are all over the game. Just ask his former player, Caleb Downs.

Caleb Downs gets real on Nick Saban’s influence

After Nick Saban hung up the headset, Caleb Downs, his prized freshman safety, later transferred to Ohio State. All the kid did was win a national title and become a unanimous All-American in his first year in Columbus. But he still credits the former Bama coach for shaping his mindset.

“He was the most consistent person I’ve ever met,” he told RG’s DJ Siddiqi. “He was the same person every day, and that’s something that I acknowledged, and I learned from him… Just making sure every day, you put your best foot forward and you go in with the intention to be the best and with the mindset I’m going to do everything the right way so I can be in the best position.”

At Bama, Caleb Downs racked up 107 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, three PBUs, two picks, and a FF. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year while earning First-Team All-SEC honors. At Ohio State, he was named the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, racking up 81 tackles, three PBUS, two picks, and a forced fumble. Whether it’s Nick Saban on the sidelines or not, the process clearly stuck. He may be done coaching, but the players he molded are just getting started. 

And if you ask Nick Saban about the ones that could have worn crimson or purple and gold, he’ll give you a wink, a smirk, and maybe even a confession. After all, the best never forget.