How College Football’s NIL Era Mirrors the Shift in Business Leadership
Adam Morris here. I'm a die-hard Duck fan. I love college football to an insane degree, and I'm also a student of leadership—seeing how it plays into every facet of life, from work and sports to community and politics. Watching the evolution of college football over the years, especially with the rise of NIL agreements and the transfer portal, has been fascinating. It’s never been just about the game; it’s always been about leadership, adaptability, and values.
But it got me to thinking… is Nick Saban the example of leadership from yesteryear?
While Saban dominated for years in a system where the coach set the tone, we’re now seeing a shift toward player autonomy. With NIL deals and the transfer portal, players have more control over their careers, and coaches like Dan Lanning are adapting to this new reality. The question is: Can leadership like Saban's still thrive in this new era?
The Saban Approach: Tradition Meets Modern Challenges
Saban built his empire on discipline, hard work, and the idea that the team came first—always. Players had to earn their place, learn from their mistakes, and stick it out through tough times. This wasn’t a program for the faint of heart, and that's what made it so successful. But with the rise of NIL agreements and the transfer portal, the focus shifted. Some said players began prioritizing their personal brand and monetary opportunities over the team. When things got tough, instead of fighting for their spot, they transferred to a new program in the offseason.
For Saban, this wasn’t just frustrating—it represented a fundamental shift away from the values that underpinned his success. NIL created a “me before team” mentality, where individual gain outweighed collective growth. In Saban’s world, leadership and accountability reigned supreme, so this new reality felt untenable.
Saban’s eventual departure from college football teaches us something: no matter how dominant your leadership is, if your values and culture don’t align with the changes around you, maintaining your position at the top becomes nearly impossible.
The Lanning Approach: Innovation Meets Accountability
Enter Dan Lanning, a coach who learned from both Saban and another Saban-trained coach, Kirby Smart. Lanning has found a way to thrive in this new world without abandoning core values. He didn’t fight NIL or the transfer portal—he embraced them, but on his terms. In Lanning's program, players enjoy the benefits of NIL deals and transfer freedom, but they are still held to the same high standard of accountability. Just because a player can profit off their name doesn’t mean they get a free pass on the field or in the locker room.
Lanning has struck a balance that Saban couldn’t. While NIL shook the foundations of Saban’s system, Lanning used it as an opportunity to reinforce his program’s culture of discipline and responsibility. This ability to blend modern innovation with old-school discipline is what sets Lanning apart and what makes his approach so relevant to today’s business world.
Leadership in Business: Adaptability Without Losing Values
This contrast between Saban and Lanning highlights a deeper truth about leadership, one that I think about quite a bit as I try to stay relevant as a leader. Times change, and so do the rules of the game, but if you don’t maintain a culture of accountability, no amount of innovation or autonomy will save you.
In business, we see a similar shift with the rise of remote work, flexible schedules, and employee autonomy. Companies that refuse to adapt risk becoming irrelevant, just like football programs that failed to adjust to NIL. But simply allowing more freedom without reinforcing accountability leads to inconsistency, poor performance, and a lack of direction. Just like Lanning’s program, businesses must find the right balance between embracing change and holding onto their core values.
The Real Key: Staying True to Your Values
At the heart of both Saban’s and Lanning’s leadership styles is a deep commitment to values. For Saban, it was all about discipline, teamwork, and resilience. Lanning shares these same values but has adapted them to fit the new landscape of college football. In business, the lesson is the same: you can be on the cutting edge of innovation, but if you lose sight of your core values, it’s only a matter of time before things start to fall apart.
The best businesses, like the best football programs, don’t just chase trends—they adapt those trends to their core philosophy. Whether it’s NIL or remote work, leaders who find success are the ones who can evolve without losing what made them successful in the first place.
Final Thoughts
The world is changing—whether it’s in college football or in business. NIL agreements and the transfer portal have reshaped the sport, just as remote work and flexible culture have changed the workplace. But as Saban’s and Lanning’s stories show us, it’s not enough to simply adapt to change—you need to adapt while staying true to your values.
Saban’s dominance may have faded in the NIL era, but Lanning’s success proves that when you combine accountability with innovation, you don’t just survive—you thrive. And that’s the lesson businesses need to take to heart: lead with flexibility, but never compromise on your core values.
