Perhaps the state of Louisiana has forgiven Nick Saban?

More than a decade after leaving LSU for the NFL only to return coaching a rival, the Alabama football coach was elected to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as announced Tuesday.

Saban was among an eight-member class that includes Sweet Lou Dunbar of the Harlem Globetrotters and Saints receiver Joe Horn among others.

Saban admitted his surprise to the selection in a nola.com story in which he confirmed he’ll attend next summer’s induction ceremony in Natchitoches.

A panel of 35 voters from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association committee picked the class of inductees.

Saban coached LSU from 2000-04 with a 48-16 record and the 2003 national championship. He also led the Tigers to the 2001 and ’03 SEC championships before taking the head coaching job with the Miami Dolphins.

Upon returning to Baton Rouge in 2008 as Alabama’s head coach, Saban’s image was burned in effigy at a bonfire before the Tide’s overtime win. Saban’s booed every time Alabama plays in Tiger Stadium where he’s only lost one (2010) as the Tide’s head coach.

Saban was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.