Former LSU athletic director Skip Bertman, left, and former LSU football coach Nick Saban...
Former LSU athletic director Skip Bertman, left, and former LSU football coach Nick Saban worked together during the Tigers’ 2003 national championship season.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Nick Saban says Skip Bertman gave him the right advice before he left LSU for the NFL. He just didn’t take it.
Before Saban left LSU for the Miami Dolphins, Bertman urged him to consider whether he wanted to build his legacy in college or professional football.
More than two decades later, Saban says Bertman was right.
“When I thought about it, I wanted my legacy to be as a college coach, and I took the job anyway,” Saban told WAFB’s Jacques Doucet. “So, that was a mistake.”
“Skip was 100% right. I just didn’t listen to him.”
Skip Bertman, a former college baseball coach and athletic director at Louisiana State...
Skip Bertman, a former college baseball coach and athletic director at Louisiana State University.
Saban spoke with WAFB following Bertman’s death Friday morning. The legendary LSU baseball coach and former athletic director died at 88.
Saban became LSU’s football coach in 2000. Bertman, who was completing his final season as LSU baseball coach, became the university’s athletic director in 2001.
The two championship coaches worked together as LSU football returned to national prominence.
Saban led the Tigers to the 2003 national championship. LSU then agreed to a new seven-year contract with Saban in February 2004, with Bertman calling him “the finest coach in America.”
Saban announced in December 2004 that he was leaving LSU after five seasons to become head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
FILE - In this Sept. 11, 2004, file photo, LSU coach Nick Saban encourages his players before...
FILE - In this Sept. 11, 2004, file photo, LSU coach Nick Saban encourages his players before an NCAA college football game against Arkansas State in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Patrick Dennis, File)
Bertman said at the time that LSU had done everything it could to keep Saban, who had changed his mind several times before ultimately accepting the NFL job.
Saban rejected any suggestion that Bertman failed to do enough to keep him in Baton Rouge.
“I never ever once thought Skip wasn’t doing everything he could to try to keep me to stay at LSU,” Saban said. “And I liked working with him. So, that was never a thought for me.”
Saban said Bertman’s influence reached far beyond the decision about his coaching future.
“Skip was an icon as a coach,” Saban said. “I think his knowledge of human behavior, how to motivate people, how to get the best out of people, his leadership style was unique and obviously as successful as anybody in our profession, in any sport.”
“I had a great relationship with him. I loved him.”
REMEMBERING SKIP BERTMAN
‘We raised $15 million’
Saban pointed to LSU’s Academic Center for Student-Athletes as an example of Bertman’s ability to turn an idea into action.
Saban said LSU did not have a dedicated academic center when he arrived in Baton Rouge. He recalled being told it could take two years to obtain funding from the Louisiana Legislature.
“We need one to help these kids graduate,” Saban recalled telling Bertman.“He said, ‘Well, let’s go and raise the money. We’ll do it in three months.’ We raised $15 million, built the place.”
According to LSU, the $15 million Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes was spearheaded by the Tiger Athletic Foundation and dedicated in November 2002.
Saban said Bertman was still preparing to leave baseball at the time, but was already focused on the needs of the entire university.
“He wanted to do what was best for the kids and the program and LSU, and he was just fantastic to work with,” Saban said.
‘They were a great team’
Saban also reflected on the relationship between his wife, Terry, and Bertman’s wife, Sandy.
Sandy Bertman died in March 2025 after 63 years of marriage to Skip Bertman.
Saban said the two families had a close relationship and that Sandy helped Terry learn how to support coaches, staff members and their families.
“They were always supportive and helpful,” Saban said. “Both of them were just a wealth of experience.”
“They were a great team.”
Saban described Bertman as a coach, leader and athletic director who understood how to motivate people while bringing them together.
“I just always had a tremendous amount of respect for Skip as a person, as a coach, as a leader, as an athletic director. He’s an icon. And I think he’ll always be remembered as that.”
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