Aggie Officials Pushed SEC To Punish Saban

While the smoke looked to have finally settled from Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher's offseason quarrel, recent reports would indicate otherwise.

In an email obtained by On3 through an open records request, Texas A&M officials reportedly urged the SEC to punish Saban following his comments about the Aggies' recruiting tactics while at an event in Birmingham.

Read More: Saban Scorches Aggies, "A&M Bought Every Player on Their Team" |

Prior to Fisher's now infamous press conference, athletic director Ross Bjork sent a message, co-signed by University president M. Katherine Banks, to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey in which the pair outlined Saban's violations and called for varying sanctions against Alabama.

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The message read, "We write to express Texas A&M University’s disappointment and outrage at the recent statements made by Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban that ‘A&M bought every player on their team-made a deal for Name, Image, Likeness.’”

“Coach Saban’s statement was a blatant violation of SEC bylaws regarding sportsmanship. More significantly, without citing any facts to support his statement, Coach Saban is accusing every, single player in Texas A&M’s recruiting class and current football team of violating NCAA NIL guidelines and Texas state law."

Read More: TAMU Athletic Director Claims Saban Broke Conference Bylaws |

The email continued, "Coach Saban’s statement is false, beneath the dignity of the SEC, and corrosive to the fabric of sportsmanship in college football as a whole and especially within the SEC. We expect the league to take strong, public action against Coach Saban and the University of Alabama."

"A public apology from Coach Saban to Coach Fisher, Aggie Football, and Texas A&M University is a good starting point, but the league should also consider monetary and participation penalties against Coach Saban."

According to On3, Bjork also spoke on the phone with Sankey the morning of Fisher's press conference and the commissioner even spoke with the incensed coach himself, warning Fisher not to violate any of the aforementioned bylaws regarding sportsmanship.

As many are likely aware, Fisher's press conference went on to indeed violate the same sportsmanship bylaws laid out by Bjork in his initial email to Sankey, and so the commissioner responded with a public reprimand for both coaches.

Sankey outlined the exact bylaws broken and laid out a warning for both Fisher and Saban, but opted not to pursue any further punishment for either coach.

Responding directly to Bjork and his request of levying a fine against Saban, Sankey said, in an email, "I do not view suspension or financial penalty as appropriate at this time."

Alabama and Texas A&M both kick off their 2022 seasons on September 3 at home with the exciting matchup between the two coming in Week 6 on October 8. The Aggies are set to travel to Tuscaloosa for what is shaping up to be a monumental game rife with bulletin board material for both teams.