Where is Nick Saban? Paul Finebaum caller reveals he’s in Rome

Nick Saban was missing from last week’s Region’s pro-am in Birmingham.

So where in the world is the Alabama football coach?

As it turns out, Saban has been in Europe.

Michele Jones, a listener of “The Paul Finebaum Show,” confirmed the news to the SEC Network analyst during Wednesday’s show, along with photographic proof of the Alabama coach in Rome.

Jones told Finebaum her high school friend, Vera, took to Instagram to post a picture she took with Saban at the Spanish Steps in Rome.

Instagram user @Vera_Sansy posted a picture with Saban on her story, and one of her friends took a screenshot. She tagged Paul Finebaum in the tweet, and he shared it on his show.

“They ran into each other in Rome at the Spanish Steps sometime in the past couple of days,” she told Finebaum.

According to Finebaum, Saban and his family had the trip planned for some time now.

“The cool part is, Paul, that friend, Vera, she has a daughter in school at Mississippi State,” Jones said.

There’s really never a good time for a coach for a major college football program to take time off. Saban missed the pro-am, which whets the appetite of all college football fans awaiting SEC spring meetings. And while the Alabama coach was away, Georgia coach Kirby Smart just signed the nation’s No. 1 rated 2024 recruit.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Music App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily. studio show.