Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban announced his retirement on Wednesday, sending shockwaves through the state and the college football world.

Saban won six national championships at Alabama and another one at LSU.

“The University of Alabama has been a very special place to Terry and me,” Saban said in a statement. “It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it’s about the legacy and how we went about it. We always tried to do it the right way.”

Saban won six of his titles during his 17 seasons at Alabama. He won his first with LSU in 2003. Saban’s wife, Terry, posted about their “incredible run” at Alabama on the Facebook page for Nick’s Kids Foundation.

“We hope that the Saban legacy will be about helping others and making a positive difference in people’s lives as well as the winning tradition on the field,” Terry Saban wrote.

Kristen Saban Setas shared a teary photo, calling it a “bittersweet moment.”

Here’s what we know today:

Alabama football is reportedly working fast to find the next Crimson Tide coach. Players were told that UA “hoped to have its next head coach in place in the next 72 hours,” per an article from 247Sports.

It was reported Saban operated as usual on Wednesday. He interviewed coaches for UA’s wide reciever opening and made an appearance on the SEC weekly coaches call, according to Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz and conference commissioner Greg Sankey.

As far as the program, the transfer portal reopens for 30 days when a coach leaves the program. The latest portal window comes after 19 active players have already left the program following a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Who is Alabama’s next coach?

Before we move forward, take a look back at five notable hires from Alabama AD Greg Byrne’s career. Byrne also was asked in 2017 about the idea of one day replacing Saban.

Attention turned to Ole Miss coach and former Alabama OC Lane Kiffin. Here is what Kiffin had to say about Saban retiring on Wednesday.

And many are speculating Dan Lanning. the Oregon coach who has direct connection to Saban and Alabama, is a frontrunner.

Here are the candidates to watch for as the search begins for the next head coach at Alabama.

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Reaction

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey talked about Saban’s contributions, while comparing him to John Wooden.

Byrne turned his attention to the upcoming coach search, while UA president Stuart Bell expressed his gratitude to both Saban and his wife Miss Terry.

State officials including U.S. Sens, Katie Britt, Tommy Tuberville and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey weighed in on Saban’s departure. “One legend now towers above the rest,” Britt said.

Jake Coker, who quarterbacked Saban’s 2015 national championship team, told AL.com the coach’s announcement came as a shock, which became emotional.

Former Alabama defensive back Terrion Arnold posted a heartfelt message for Saban, Miss Terry.

Everyone from Deion Sanders to Kirk Herbstreit and former players shared their thoughts on the news coming out of Tuscaloosa.

The students didn’t waste time letting their feelings know. A small gathering took place in front of Saban’s statue at Bryant-Denny Stadium. A chant started, expressing who the students didn’t want to be the coach.

AL.com caught up with mourning fans who left oatmeal pies and a lot of emotion at the foot of the statue. “I’m in denial,” one fan said.

High school football coaches from around the state reacted to Saban’s retirement. “There better be someone really good to follow him with all the stuff that he has accomplished there,” Auburn High coach Keith Etheredge said.

In the wake of Saban’s retirement, former Crimson Tide commit and five-star rated wide receiver Ryan Williams walked back his pledge.

At Alabama sports bars, fans pondered life after Saban. “It sucks, is what it does,” one fan said.

The news of Saban’s retirement reignited the debate about the on-field legacies of Saban and Paul Bear Bryant. Here’s the final verdict now that Saban is set to retire.

Of course, we want you to send us your best reaction videos.

Auburn reacts

Auburn students took to Toomer’s Corner on Wednesday to celebrate Saban’s retirement. “The bad man is gone. Finally, after 17 long years, we can finally be rid of him,” one student said.

Auburn players reacted to Williams, the five-star Alabama commit, who decommitted to Alabama after the Saban news broke.

Head football coach Hugh Freeze reacted to the news of his cross-state rival.

Former Auburn coaches Gus Malzahn and Tuberville also saluted the man they battled in the Iron Bowl.

Saban at the mic

Check out some of Saban’s most memorable takes with the media in which he fumed and even added to the college football lexicon with terms like rat poison.

Commentary

Cohen: Why Nick Saban’s retirement puts extra focus on Auburn to get its hire right.

Goodman: Thank you, Nick Saban.