Alabama coach Nick Saban is staying put.The university announced on its Twitter account Friday
night that the football coach has reached “a long-term agreement” to remain with the Crimson Tide.Alabama
didn’t release terms of the new deal, which must be approved by the board of trustees.Saban received an
eight-year deal in March 2012 worth about $5.6 million annually and seems likely to remain college
football’s highest-paid coach.The agreement quells speculation that Saban would take over at Texas if Mack
Brown steps down. Saban, who turned 62 on Oct. 31, has led the Tide to three national championships in the
past four years with no signs of fading from annual contention.The third-ranked Tide was on the verge of
another Southeastern Conference, and perhaps national title, before losing 34-28 to No. 2 Auburn in the
regular-season finale on a last-play 109-yard return of a missed field goal.Alabama will play Oklahoma in
the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2 in New Orleans.Saban has said multiple times that he’s too old “to go someplace
else and start over.”“I’m very committed to the University of Alabama, love being here,” he said in
November. “We’ve talked about it before. Don’t need to talk about it again. “But that didn’t stop the
speculation and rumors that he was bound for Texas amid reports that Brown was on his way out.Brown didn’t
address his future at Texas at Friday night’s annual team banquet, while acknowledging “distractions” for
his team. The Longhorns (8-4) will face Oregon in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30.Brown met with school President
Bill Powers and athletic director Steve Patterson before the banquet. Patterson declined to say what was
discussed or if any conclusion had been reached.Saban is 74-14 in seven seasons at Alabama, with at least 11
wins in five of the last six years and a string of top-rated recruiting classes. The Tide was trying to
become the first team to win three straight national titles since the 1930s.Saban has been mentioned as a
candidate for various openings in the NFL and college during his tenure.That’s no surprise given his track
record in the college ranks. Saban is the only coach to win four BCS national titles, including the 2003
championship at LSU. He returned to the SEC after going 15-17 in two seasons with the Miami Dolphins.At
Texas, several university regents and a former regent were involved in a meeting with Saban’s agent last
January to gauge the coach’s interest in coming to Texas.According to an email detailing that phone meeting
and obtained by The Associated Press, Saban’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, told Texas representatives that Texas was
the only job Saban would leave Alabama for, and that Saban was under “special pressure” at his current job.