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ATLANTA -- Nick Saban, fresh off his fifth national championship at Alabama and sixth of his career, knows he can't keep doing this forever. The 66-year-old coach said he can't imagine not being part of a team, though. Saban said he'll continue coaching "as long as I feel like I can do a good job for the players and the team -- from an energy level, from a focus level, from a concentration level, from providing a good staff of people around them to help them have success. These are things that I know that I cannot do forever, but they're certainly things that I have enjoyed and hope I can continue to enjoy in the future." Saban joked, "Isn't there 'Sleepless in Seattle'? This is sleepless in Atlanta." In fact, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and defensive lineman Da'Ron Payne said they didn't get any rest after beating Georgia 26-23 in overtime Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T. Payne will be part of a group of underclassmen with a decision to make about whether to enter the NFL. Payne, the third-highest-rated draft-eligible defensive tackle according to ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., said, "I really just want to take it slow and just talk to my family first." Saban, who said a win like Alabama's over Georgia "rejuvenates you," met with seven draft-eligible underclassmen early Tuesday morning, after the game ended. That's where Saban's thoughts are now -- not on his future or his standing as perhaps the greatest coach of all time after tying Paul "Bear" Bryant with six national championships. Saban said at some point he will think about those things -- "I think I'm going to; I really do" -- but that this wasn't the time. He called Bryant "probably the best coach of all time" because of his long tenure and his ability to adapt and evolve his philosophy. Saban said at the forefront of his agenda is a Thursday meeting with players to address getting back into the flow of school. In a month, it will be national signing day. Whether Saban makes a change at quarterback remains to be seen. Jalen Hurts went 25-2 as a starter before Saban pulled him at halftime of the title game. Tagovailoa came on and threw three touchdown passes, including a 41-yard strike to DeVonta Smith that clinched the victory. "Look, we have two good quarterbacks on our team, no doubt," Saban said. "I think that we haven't really made a decision about that, and it's not imperative we make one right now. We've got two fine young men who really respect each other and have worked hard to help each other all year long."
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