Time enough at last. (AP)

By Holly Anderson

Here follows an account of the reign of Nick Saban from the years 2015-25, commonly referred to by better historians as the Wilding Tuscaloosa era.

The year is 2015. The season, midwinter. Flush with six national titles, four of them consecutive, five at Alabama, even the agile football mind of Nick Saban atrophies with boredom. Staring listlessly at a commitment list that’s a unanimous pick for tops in the nation, a list that will bolster a roster that’s already a consensus national title favorite, in the predawn dim of National Signing Day, the crafter of college football’s most unassailable modern dynasty crumples a piece of copy paper into a wad the size of a golfball with the density of sandstone. It’s time at last, time to turn on the cheat codes, Saban’s last defense against the dulling of his edge. He needs to be tested again.

But the codes are not for his benefit. They’re for yours.

And from now on, everything’s gonna be different. Well — almost everything.
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Nick Saban is seen here in a moment of mild fury. (AP)

By Holly Anderson

Well, somebody had to ask:

Alabama coach Nick Saban sounded hurt.

“It really is a little terribly disappointing,” he said Thursday in response to comments made by Florida offensive line coach Tim Davis.

Adorable oxymoronic constructions aside: Anybody else get the feeling Saban says “disappointing” like Darth Vader says “I find your lack of faith disturbing”? Whatever; we still think it sounded like a compliment in the first place.

By Holly Anderson

The #Process begins at THE University of Alabama! #BuiltByBama #RollTide http://t.co/luQtxrlvAr—
Tyler Siskey (@tylersiskey) May 16, 2013

Nick Saban doesn’t have a widely accepted nickname. Does anyone else find this upsetting?

Nick Saban did not visibly yawn during the SEC Network presentation, indicating he is at least magical, if not necessarily evil. (AP)

By Holly Anderson

Look, we weren’t there, so we can’t accurately assess Florida O-line coach Tim Davis’ tone, but does this kindasorta sound like a compliment to anybody else?

“I’ve always wanted to work with Will,” Davis said. “Will’s got a plan. Will coached under the devil himself for seven years. I only did three. He did seven. And his DNA is not any different than Nick.”

[Previously, in SEC coaches accusing Nick Saban of being the Prince of Darkness.]

Nick Saban makes $5.3 million per season, but his economic impact on Alabama is much greater. (Morry Gash/AP)

By Zac Ellis

Critics and fans alike have used many words to describe Alabama coach Nick Saban’s salary, which leads the nation at $5.3 million per year. But “modest” likely wasn’t been one of them — until now.

That’s how Forbes writer Tom Van Riper recently described Saban’s pay. The logic? Given the economic impact Alabama football has made on Tuscaloosa during Saban’s tenure, that price tag isn’t so bad. The Crimson Tide’s success has indirectly caused an upswing in university enrollment, faculty employment and athletics revenue.

“Powerhouse football is nothing new at the school, of course. But powerhouse football in the modern media age means, thanks to games beamed across the country on a regular basis, a national marketing platform unlike anything Bama enjoyed in Bear Bryant’s day.”

Saban has won three national titles in Tuscaloosa and compiled a 68-13 record since taking over at Alabama in 2007. The school’s revenue flow has increased accordingly: According to Van Riper’s data, taken from USA Today, Alabama recorded revenue of $124.5 million and a profit of $19.4 million in 2012, an increase from $67.7 million in revenue and $7.1 million in profit in ’07. The football program is the money-driver, accounting for around two-thirds of all athletics revenue and $45 million in profit.

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Safety Tray Matthews seems ready to become a key contributor for Georgia’s defense. (Dale Zanine/USA Today Sports)

By Zac Ellis

While many top recruits wait until late in the summer to arrive on campus each year, the practice of enrolling early is becoming more and more popular across college football. By adapting to school and taking part in spring practice, incoming freshmen and juco transfers are able start learning a system  — and working their way up the depth chart.

According to a USA Today report, 162 high school prospects in BCS automatic-qualifying conferences opted to enroll early in 2013, the highest total since 2002. In all, 61 of the 73 AQ-conference schools brought in at least one early enrollee.

Skipping senior prom in lieu of helmets and pads can have its advantages. Here are 10 early enrollees, listed alphabetically, who raised eyebrows across the nation:

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After a strong spring, Jameis Winston (5) seems set to be FSU’s quarterback of the future. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

The official start of the college football season may still be more than three months away, but the first glimpses of each team come every year during spring practice. Spring isn’t always an accurate barometer for what to expect in the fall, but there were still a handful of noteworthy developments over the last two months nonetheless. A redshirt freshman quarterback raised a few eyebrows with his play in Tallahassee. A couple of new coaches kicked off their debut campaigns in the SEC. And off the field, the long-awaited College Football Playoff finally started to take shape.

Here are 10 lessons we learned from spring football across the country:

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By Holly Anderson

Dale Jr, Chipper & AJ McCarron hanging. Or as I like to call it, Alabama's Modern Day Mt Rushmore: http://t.co/EU4UbzywKo—
Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) May 05, 2013

AJ McCarron ably represented Alabama’s formidable ground game at this weekend’s Talladega festivities. In this case, that means keeping his pace car on the ground and headed in the correct direction, unlike some people.

By Holly Anderson

For The First Time This Year We Wish We Worked Offseason Weekends, Vol. 1: Congratulations to all recently minted graduates of the University of Alabama! Especial congratulations to Bradley Harris, whose commencement snapping produced this irreplicable gem:

@SECfootball Nick Saban is great at winning championships and now….photobombing? http://t.co/pki2LPaMCk—
Bradley Harris (@bradleyrharris) May 04, 2013

Saban is presumably standing in this shot to sneer so many empty seats, the likes of which he has not seen in Tuscaloosa before.

Nick Saban expresses his approval of Alabama’s opening week line. (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Betting lines for the first week of college football were released this week by 5dimes Sportsbooks, and it appears Alabama’s streak of dominance extends all the way to Las Vegas. The Crimson Tide opened as 24-point favorites over Virginia Tech for the teams’ Aug. 31 opener in Atlanta, marking the 42nd consecutive game in which Nick Saban’s program will enter as the favorite.

According to AL.com, Alabama has not been an underdog since the 2009 SEC Championship Game, when the Tide went on to beat favored Florida 32-13. Roll Tide, indeed.

Other notable first-week lines, as of Thursday:

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