Chapter 121: Genuine Care
The office was clean, organized, and bright—just like the impression Coach Saban gave off. Everything in the room was in perfect order. Behind his desk, a large bookshelf was packed tightly, but instead of books, it was filled with game tapes.
Along the wall, there was another smaller shelf. On it sat numerous dark blue binders, each neatly labeled. The labels dated back to 2015, with earlier years listed as well.
Saban noticed Lance's gaze and glanced at the shelf.
"Those are tactical playbooks from over the years. Not just ours, but also from other NCAA teams and some NFL teams," he explained.
"Tactical playbooks are crucial in football. NFL teams guard them closely. Every year, a new playbook is issued to prevent players who transfer from exposing old plays. However, after five years, these playbooks become available to the public. This shelf only holds a small part of my collection."
"Wow," Lance thought, impressed.
Saban gave a slight smile and motioned toward a chair.
"Sit."
Lance pulled his eyes away from the shelf and noticed Coach Burns was already seated next to him. If it weren't for Burns' friendly expression, the setup might have seemed a bit too formal.
Saban spoke calmly, "Relax, you're not in trouble. We're not here to scold you today."
It was rare for the usually serious Saban to crack a joke.
Lance let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Well, that's good to know!"
Though Saban didn't respond with another joke, the tension in the room eased.
Saban, not one to joke much, returned to the matter at hand. "The reason we called you here today, with Coach Burns present, is to discuss your situation."
"We all know your joining the football team this season was unexpected. Coach Burns practically had to drag you onto the team, and you weren't exactly willing…"
Lance chuckled awkwardly. "Coach..."
Saban waved it off. "No need to be embarrassed; that's just the truth. But I don't regret it. In fact, I should thank Coach Burns, and I should also thank you for helping us out when we needed it most."
"Initially, we just hoped you could help us transition for a bit, but it turns out we struck gold."
Coach Burns chimed in for once. "Lance, thank you. Now Coach Saban owes me a Christmas drink."
Saban nodded, "Fair enough. I'll make sure you're swimming in it."
Burns grinned, clearly pleased.
Turning back to Lance, Saban continued, "I know you had an agreement with the school principal. Today, I wanted to let you know there's no need to wait until the end of the season. We've already informed the principal that you've met the requirements."
"The principal also informed us that the legal issues have been settled. The school and the injured student reached an out-of-court settlement, and the lawsuit has been dropped."
Although Lance had expected this, hearing the confirmation brought a sense of relief. That looming threat was finally off his shoulders.
Lance paused for a moment. "What about the agreement between Coach Burns and the principal?"
Saban froze.
Burns looked surprised. "How do you know about that?"
Lance shrugged casually. "Coach, the principal isn't exactly known for being charitable."
Burns opened his mouth but couldn't find the words. Eventually, a small smile crept onto his face.
Saban, with a touch of admiration in his eyes, added, "You don't need to worry about Coach Burns. I, Nick Saban, have enough influence to ensure he stays here."
It was a subtle reminder of Saban's undeniable power within the NCAA.
"But," Saban continued, "the agreement between Burns and the principal has already been fulfilled—far beyond expectations, actually."
Burns had agreed that at least seven of Alabama's games this season would be broadcast nationwide. However, without even waiting for the bowl games or the national championship, the Crimson Tide had already exceeded that goal—
This season, nine of their twelve regular-season games were nationally televised. Adding the SEC Championship game, that number reached ten.
Alabama's dominant performance had once again made them the standout team in college football, and they had easily secured the most national broadcasts of any team in the NCAA.
Not just within the SEC, but across the entire NCAA, Alabama's influence was at the very top.
Burns looked at Lance, a proud smile on his face. "Piece of cake."
Lance finally cracked a smile.
Saban wasn't done yet. "That's one thing. Now, onto another important matter."
The serious discussion was about to begin—
Lance hadn't expected this, but he sat up a little straighter, ready to listen.
Saban gave Lance an approving look. Despite Lance's laid-back, joking nature, when it came to serious matters, he was always focused.
To Saban, Lance was the smartest player on the team. This season, Lance's presence had made the team's tactical training smoother and more efficient. Even team leaders like Allen and Foster respected Lance, and that had been crucial in shaping the team's attitude this season.
Saban motioned for Lance to relax and got straight to the point.
"We know that your switch to football was purely accidental. Before this, you had no knowledge of the game or any idea what it was about."
"But after observing you for these past six months, both Coach Burns and I believe you have a natural aptitude for football. You have the potential to reach heights others can only dream of."
"The Crimson Tide is always in the spotlight, not just in the NCAA but also with the pros. I'm sure you've already been approached by agents."
Coach Burns jumped in, curious. "But no team has contacted you yet, right?"
Lance shook his head.
Saban wasn't surprised. "Teams don't need to rush. The Jacksonville Jaguars have been putting out feelers every week, thinking they're being clever, but everyone's already caught on. It's pretty clear they have their sights set on you."
Burns laughed, "That's about all the tricks they've got. Still, the Jaguars wouldn't be a bad choice. Their record might not be great, but they'd treat you well. You'd have more opportunities to shine, and the contract wouldn't be bad either."
The conversation hadn't even fully started, and Burns was already worrying about Lance's future.
Saban called out, "Burton."
Burns realized he was getting ahead of himself and gave Lance a reassuring smile.
Saban resumed. "What Coach Burns means is that if you want to, you could go pro right now."
Burns, trying to steer the conversation back on track, quickly added, "The reason we called you here is to ask about your plans. Do you want to keep playing football? Are you considering turning pro?"
Saban glanced at Burns. "Since we were the ones who pulled you onto this ship, there's not much we can do for you, but we at least owe you some responsibility."
Burns, a bit embarrassed, scratched his head. "Coach, I just think we shouldn't let such a talent slip away."
Saban gave a faint smile. "You're saying all this with the man sitting right here."
Burns grinned sheepishly at Lance, who couldn't help but joke, "Coach, I can confirm that Coach Burns didn't kidnap me. At least, he didn't put a knife to my throat."
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