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Nick Saban announces career development program for former Alabama football players

Even in retirement, former Alabama football coach Nick Saban keeps himself busy.

Saban announced a new joint venture with the University of Alabama at his annual Nick Kids Golf Tournament at the Old Overton Club in Birmingham, Alabama. Saban told reporters at the event that he and his wife ― Terry Saban ― are in the process of launching a career development program for former Crimson Tide football players.

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"We have so many great resources to help these guys move on to the next career. That’s something we want to get organized and do a better job of. Projects like that, I’ve never had a chance to do that,” Saban said. "Projects like that, I never had a chance to do that before. Now I have a chance to do it."

Saban said UA associate athletics director of football student services Molly Dowd is set to lead the effort for the new initiative from the school.

Both Nick and Terry Saban intend to fund the new program to a degree, according to the former Crimson Tide coach. They are also taking donations for the Saban Center STEM building, which is being set up to help local teachers access new technology.

"One of the things that we wanted to do with the program was we always want the players to have a better chance to be more successful in life because they were involved in the program,” Saban said. “So that’s helping them develop as people, helping them develop a career off the field, which means graduating from school, and see if we can help them develop a career on the field and maybe play at the next level someday.

"But that last one doesn’t last long, so eventually you’ve got to have that next career, and you’re preparing yourself for when you can’t play football when you go to college.”

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Nick Saban announces career development program for former Alabama football players