TAMPA – Alabama’s Nick Saban, 64, already has won five national championships and is guaranteed a place on coaching’s Mount Rushmore.
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, 47, describes himself as a “crawl-on” football player at Alabama because he wasn’t good enough to walk -on. Through hard work, organization and the ability to recruit at an elite level, he has Clemson in the College Football Playoff national championship game for the second consecutive season.
As the coaches met with the media for the final time before Monday night’s national championship game, this much was clear: They are at distinctly different places in their careers but will be playing for the same thing at Raymond James Stadium: a national championship that will ultimately define their legacy.