It’s been a few weeks since the Nick Saban v Jimbo Fisher NIL press battle of 2022, but the fall out, and drama keeps coming.
According to a report from On3, Texas A&M administrators reached out to SEC officials asking them to punish Nick Saban after he made his comments about the Aggies 2022 recruiting class.
The public records obtained by On3, included an email sent by A&M athletic director Ross Bjork to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, detailed the Aggies complaints.
We write to express Texas A&M University’s disappointment and outrage at the recent statements made by Alabama University [sic] Head Football Coach Nick Saban that ‘A&M bought every player on their team-made a deal for Name, Image, Likeness Coach Saban’s statement was a blatant violation of SEC bylaws regarding sportsmanship. More significantly, without citing any facts to support his statement, Coach Saban is accusing every, single player in Texas A&M’s recruiting class and current football team of violating NCAA NIL guidelines and Texas state laws.
– Ross Bjork to Greg Sankey via e-mail
The e-mail continued, detailing A&M’s complaints and their request for the league to step-in.
Coach Saban’s statement is false, beneath the dignity of the SEC, and corrosive to the fabric of sportsmanship in college football as a whole and especially within the SEC. We expect the league to take strong, public action against Coach Saban and the University of Alabama to demonstrate that such unprofessionalism and disrespect for Texas A&M’s student-athletes, coaches, and the university as a whole, will not be tolerated. A public apology from Coach Saban to Coach Fisher, Aggie Football, and Texas A&M University is a good starting point, but the league should also consider monetary and participation penalties against Coach Saban.
Thank you for your concern and prompt attention to this serious matter.
The league spoke with Coach Fisher prior to his fiery press conference encouraging him not to violate the same policies they were accusing Saban of over-stepping, and after Jimbo let the Alabama coach have it in his comments, the league issued public reprimands to both coaches, but decided not to fine or suspend either.