The one that got away: Nick Saban won't be coaching at WVU

Nick Saban, the name that echoes through college football history with a record-breaking seven national championships, not including the one he earned in high school, is finally hanging up his whistle.

While West Virginia natives dream of their prodigal son returning home to coach WVU, there's one crucial detail often forgotten: WVU passed on Saban, twice.

It all started in 1969. Saban, a star quarterback and defensive back from Monongah High, adored the Mountaineers. He once said, watching WVU play was the highlight of the year.

Playing for WVU felt like destiny, yet the scholarship offer never materialized. He went on to find success at Kent State, but the sting of WVU's rejection remained. 

Fate brought him back to Morgantown in 1978, not as a player, but as a young, eager assistant coach. It could have been the start of a beautiful homecoming, but a year later, Ohio State came calling, and West Virginia let him go.

Over the next four decades, Saban embarked on a historic climb, ascending to the pinnacle of college football.

So, why the unwavering "no" to WVU? That pivotal missed scholarship in 1969, a wound that never fully healed, became the turning point. It wasn't just about the missed opportunity; it was about the doubt, the overlooked potential. WVU's decision fueled Saban's fire, driving him to prove them wrong, to become the legend he is today.

While Saban cherishes his West Virginia roots and speaks fondly of the Mountain State, the closed door at WVU remains shut. He's conquered bigger mountains, established an unmatched legacy, and earned all the glory he could have dreamed of. WVU's loss is undoubtedly the nation's gain.

But the story of Nick Saban and the Mountaineers serves as a poignant reminder: sometimes, the ones who get away become the ones who leave an indelible mark on the world, forever etched in the fabric of what could have been.

The Marion County native will forever be remembered as the greatest coach ever, but not quite in the way WVU fans would have hoped.