Nick Saban discusses leaving Miami Dolphins

Nick Saban will be coaching in Miami for the first time since he left as head coach of the Miami Dolphins after the 2006 season. His team is in the national championship game between Saban's No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide and the top-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

On Monday, Saban, along with former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Jason Taylor on the Dan LeBatard Show on 790 AM. spoke about his departure from the Dolphins. In the interview, he expressed disappointment with himself with how he handled his departure from Miami:

"I didn't handle how I left very well. That's always been a thing with me that I've never ever really felt good about," Saban said. "We all make mistakes. We all learn about ourselves. And, as much as I respected the organization, the players, the things we tried to do there, this has been a really good thing for me and my family - to be here.

During that interview, Saban also talked about the Dolphins' decision to trade for quarterback Daunte Culpepper over Drew Brees after Brees failed the team physical:

"Well, we did choose Drew Brees," Saban answered. "I've never talked about this publicly, but I think the players know this, but we think Drew Brees is an outstanding player. He's the guy we made the first offer. Quite frankly, he didn't pass the physical with our organization, and we had to go in a different direction. And, there's not a lot that we could do."

Dolphins fans still hold resentment for Saban's departure, as it led to a disastrous 2007 season with Cam Cameron as head coach that wound up with a 1-15 record for the Fins. People organizing the game hope that the fans will have let the past stay where it is, but with Saban making more appearances on TV and radio, that may not be the case.