Nick Saban Sends Message to Kamario Taylor After Mississippi State Decision

Detailed summary

Nick Saban shared his thoughts on Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor after the star quarterback decided to stay in Starkville.

Mississippi State's season has quickly fizzled out. After a hot start to the year, winning their first four games with victories over UL Monroe, at Minnesota, at South Carolina, and at home against then-No. 19 Missouri, the Bulldogs have now lost five straight.

Three of those were double-digit blowouts, albeit against ranked teams in Alabama, LSU, and Texas, and all five were against SEC opponents. Mississippi State is now 4-5 overall and 2-5 in SEC play heading into the final stretch of the season, with the College Football Playoff well out of reach.

But the Bulldogs did get some good news this week, as star quarterback Kamario Taylor signed an NIL deal worth around $7.5 million to return to the school in 2027. It immediately makes him the highest-paid quarterback in college football and ensures Mississippi State stays competitive beyond this season, which had become a big question mark with other powerhouse programs circling Taylor.

On Friday's episode of "The Pat McAfee Show," Nick Saban spoke highly of the sophomore quarterback and explained why this is such a big deal for the program.

"For Mississippi State, Kamario Taylor is someone who can reestablish the tradition of that program," Saban said. "I think Jeff Lebby has done a really good job there, but to have a quarterback of that caliber to make a commitment, he's going to draw other players in to come play with him because he's that good ... I know Kamario Taylor is a great person, made of the right stuff, and I think he'll do a great job for Mississippi State."

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Mississippi State isn't a traditional college football blueblood like Alabama, Ohio State, or Texas. But it is one of the oldest programs in the sport, with a rich history and deep-rooted traditions, including the Bulldogs' iconic cowbells, a staple in Starkville.

It's massive for the program to retain a talent like Taylor, especially when there was fear they could get…

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Opening of the article, excerpted from Newsweek. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.