How Much Does Nick Saban's Absence Effect The Line Between Alabama-Georgia?

Unfortunately for Alabama, Nick Saban won't be on the sidelines, even virtually, for Georgia-Alabama. As awesome as it would be to put him in a bubble or on top of a crane, it's not gonna work. 

So, what does Nick Saban's absence mean for Alabama? Obviously, it's not ideal. You want Nick Saban on the sidelines, making the big calls and adjustments. However, I assume, he will still be heavily involved in the game planning. 

With all that being said, how many points is Nick Saban not being on the sideline worth? It looks to be around 2.5 points. 

At 5:20 PM yesterday Alabama was -6.5. 

5:50 PM: Nick has COVID.

5:51 PM: Alabama drops to -4.5.

5:59 PM: Alabama drops to -3.5.

At the time of this blog, Alabama is up to 4-point favorites, so it's fair to assume that the market values Saban's presence around 2.5 points. Would it be different if Saban was not allowed to communicate leading up to the game at all? That's an interesting conversation.