The photos in Nick Saban’s new office caught some attention.

During the final weekend of official visits in June, two five-star in-state recruits posed with the retired Alabama football coach in front of his mantle.

Naturally, that set the college football internet ablaze. Saban’s still recruiting for Alabama? Is he the secret weapon behind the Crimson Tide’s recent recruiting success?

To quote one of Saban’s ESPN College GameDay coworkers, “Not so fast my friend.”

AL.com spoke with several people familiar with Alabama’s recruiting behind the scenes and those aware of Saban’s post-coaching life. The consensus among them was that Saban’s involvement in the last official visit weekend was a one-off, not a regular occurrence.

Three in-state recruits met Saban in his office that weekend in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Those players were Ezavier Crowell (Jackson), Cederian Morgan (Alexander City) and Tank Jones (Mobile), all five-star prospects. Multiple people described it as something special for three local guys during a weekend Saban happened to be in town. It was more like how some recruits for other UA programs used to meet with Saban on visits when he was still coaching. For example, a basketball recruit being brought by his office. The notion of Saban being a closer or ace for Alabama football in retirement was shot down by multiple sources.

Those three meetings in his office are the only recruiting involvement Saban’s had up to that point, per multiple people. It falls in line with Saban’s approach to his presence around the program in retirement as he remains on the payroll at about $500,000 annually — He can be available, but he isn’t hovering.

Saban’s not walking through the halls of the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility on a regular basis anymore. In fact, he has largely stayed out of the football building since he retired, per multiple people. His new office is inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, which is in another part of campus.

Saban wasn’t even in the state much in June, according to multiple sources. You were more likely to find him at his home in Jupiter, Florida or at Lake Burton in Georgia. Specifically, on the golf course. Saban’s plenty busy with other ventures, such as ESPN responsibilities and his business endeavors.

But he was in town that final weekend and agreed to meet with the three recruits.

That same weekend, DeBoer, some staff members and a few players took a brief trip to Tupelo, Mississippi to attend the funeral for Kierston Russell, the twin sister of freshman quarterback Keelon Russell. DeBoer still met with all the recruits that weekend, though. Saban wasn’t a stand-in for DeBoer. It was a case of the busy recruiting weekend schedule allowing time for those players to meet with Saban, who was in Tuscaloosa and available.

In total, Alabama has secured 19 commitments so far in the 2026 class. Saban only met with two of those 19 commits. Jones, the third recruit with whom Saban met, has yet to commit anywhere.

Saban’s involvement in recruiting hasn’t been zero, but there’s a chasm between meeting with three recruits during a weekend in June and getting back into the recruiting game full bore.

Saban didn’t retire to still take part in the day-to-day grind of recruiting.

No matter how the 2026 recruiting class for Alabama plays out, for better or for worse, it will be the handywork of DeBoer, general manager Courtney Morgan, director of player personnel Bob Welton, assistant coaches and staff. Not Saban.

“Let me make this clear for (five-star commit Xavier Griffen’s) recruitment when it comes to Alabama,” his mother, Jay Clay, wrote on social media. “Makes me mad to hear Kalen DeBoer can’t recruit because our coach and his staff did a great job! I met Saban once but he is not the one that offered or talked to us at any point. (Outside linebackers coach Christian Robinson) was and is the (G.O.A.T) that got my son to Bama!! Love our staff and can’t wait! Roll Tide.”

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.