Who will replace Saban?

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Otis

Otis

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There is little doubt that Alabama is THE job in college football coaching. My top 5:
1. Alabama
2. Georgia
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan
5. Texas

All of these schools are as well supported by their admin, NIL, boosters and fans as possible. All are recruiting giants.

So what is Alabama going for?
An old coach? Probably not, they can afford to get a younger established coach.
A current staff member? Doubtful, not enough clout to run this machine and maybe not the power to recruit.
A Saban protege? Possibly, it’s worked for years with his system.

So here are my top three that they want:
1. Kirby Smart - yes, Alabama thinks they can get anyone.
2. Lincoln Riley - yes, they would poach him if interested.
3. Steve Sarkisian

Coaches they won’t interview:
Dion
Harbaugh
Day
Franklin
PJ
the list goes on…..

So who do you think it will be?

I’d kind of like to see Pete Carrol back in college football or even better, Belicheat!
 
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Steve seems the most obvious to me, but I don't know his contract.

Dude in Oregon would too... again current contract details I don't know.
 

I think the potential list will be something like:

(1) Dan Lanning
(2) Demeco Ryans - would he leave for a college job if they doubled his salary?
(3) Mike Norvell
(4) Dabo
(5) Lane Kiffin - Any chance? It doesn't feel like their style, but if you put him with the Bama resources, it could be scary.

I don't think Sark is in play. No way on Prime.
 

It doesn't matter. Hire a golden retriever and they will still win. Cheated for multiple decades and still do. NIL coming out their behinders.
Jimmys and Joes...
 

I think Mike Norvell makes the most sense. Shown that he can win and recruit at a big program in the south and he might want the chance to compete in one of the top two conferences in college football. The optics for him would be bad, bailing on his team for the team that pushed them out of the playoffs, but idk how much Norvell would care about that.
 


Norvell would have $,$$$,$$$’s of reasons.

Would be interesting to see if Sark would bring along Manning.
 

Kiffin was the OC there for a bit?

A certain poster here might blow a gasket :ROFLMAO:
 


StudentSectionMenace said:
I think Mike Norvell makes the most sense. Shown that he can win and recruit at a big program in the south and he might want the chance to compete in one of the top two conferences in college football. The optics for him would be bad, bailing on his team for the team that pushed them out of the playoffs, but idk how much Norvell would care about that.
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Always liked Norvell. Hadn't thought of him but he'd be a great fit.
 



TNGophfan said:
Disagree. They were pretty much sucking until Nick came along. The coach really matters.
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You are probably right, and I know he's a good coach. I just don't care for blue blood programs. Most got that way by bending the rules.
 


Go Gophs said:
It doesn't matter. Hire a golden retriever and they will still win. Cheated for multiple decades and still do. NIL coming out their behinders.
Jimmys and Joes...
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I disagree. I don't see Alabama without Saban as being any better of a place to coach than Georgia, Texas or LSU and perhaps Oklahoma in the SEC.

Lots of NIL in other SEC schools coffers as well.
 

Chris Low, who broke the story on Saben retiring, said he thinks most likely Norvell or DeBoer now that Lanning has said no thanks. Low also thinks Locksley and Tommy Rees get interviewed.
 



Go Gophs said:
It doesn't matter. Hire a golden retriever and they will still win. Cheated for multiple decades and still do. NIL coming out their behinders.
Jimmys and Joes...
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I know it feels that way because they have been so good for so long under Saban but the 10 years before Saban arrived were pretty lean for Alabama.

Don't get me wrong, it is still way easier to win at a place like Alabama than say a Minnesota but you do have to hire the right guy.
 

Ope3 said:
Lots of NIL in other SEC schools coffers as well.
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FWIW, there are whispers that Alabama’s NIL program isn’t nearly what folks think it is or should be. Was briefly mentioned on the radio this morning. Probably still substantial compared to most, but nowhere near the top like you’d think.
 

Would not shock me if Locksley has a shot with past Alabama ties as does Kiffin. Kiffin would take it if they offered him big bucks.
 

gopherdudepart2 said:
Would not shock me if Locksley has a shot with past Alabama ties as does Kiffin. Kiffin would take it if they offered him big bucks.
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I agree about Kiffin, but Chris Low says there isn’t much traction at the moment from what he hears for Kiffin, Dabo or Sark. Personally, Kiffin can coach my team any time. He’s a phenomenal recruiter and the dude can coach. Yes, he rubs some wrong, but he gets results.
 

U2Gopher said:
FWIW, there are whispers that Alabama’s NIL program isn’t nearly what folks think it is or should be. Was briefly mentioned on the radio this morning. Probably still substantial compared to most, but nowhere near the top like you’d think.
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That doesn't shock me because the kind of Pay for Play money they would need for the caliber of athlete they are going after would be off the charts.
 


Bob_Loblaw said:
I think the potential list will be something like:

(1) Dan Lanning
(2) Demeco Ryans - would he leave for a college job if they doubled his salary?
(3) Mike Norvell
(4) Dabo
(5) Lane Kiffin - Any chance? It doesn't feel like their style, but if you put him with the Bama resources, it could be scary.

I don't think Sark is in play. No way on Prime.
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Lanning already said no. Kiffin is the only one listed who I think would entertain it, given he's already been there as OC. Don't see Sark or DeBoer leaving their current jobs either.
 


I was at the Gophers versus Alabama bowl game. Alabama was o.k. but nothing special. Saban made Alabama what it is today. Not sure anyone other than Kirby Smart can carry on..
 

Otis said:
There is little doubt that Alabama is THE job in college football coaching. My top 5:
1. Alabama
2. Georgia
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan
5. Texas

All of these schools are as well supported by their admin, NIL, boosters and fans as possible. All are recruiting giants.

So what is Alabama going for?
An old coach? Probably not, they can afford to get a younger established coach.
A current staff member? Doubtful, not enough clout to run this machine and maybe not the power to recruit.
A Saban protege? Possibly, it’s worked for years with his system.

So here are my top three that they want:
1. Kirby Smart - yes, Alabama thinks they can get anyone.
2. Lincoln Riley - yes, they would poach him if interested.
3. Steve Sarkisian

Coaches they won’t interview:
Dion
Harbaugh
Day
Franklin
PJ
the list goes on…..

So who do you think it will be?

I’d kind of like to see Pete Carrol back in college football or even better, Belicheat!
Click to expand...
Urban Meyer, who besides Saban, is the only college coach to win championships at two different schools in CFB in the last 90 years.

His Jacksonville stint doesn’t disqualify him, just like The Dolphins didn’t for Saban.
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
Urban Meyer, who besides Saban, is the only college coach to win championships at two different schools in CFB in the last 90 years.

His Jacksonville stint doesn’t disqualify him, just like The Dolphins didn’t for Saban.
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Maybe. I just doubt he (like most), would want to follow Saban's legacy.
 


Interesting question. I think Alabama already has a person already lined up. Don't think it's Kiffin, sounds like he likes Oxford. Smart and Sarkisian aren't leaving their jobs, especially Sark. Someone mentioned Locksley, that's a hard no, I hate to this, but Alabama isn't ready for that(still have a lot old school boosters still living). If someone were to break that barrier, it would someone like James Franklin. Probably comes down to Norvell or someone from the NFL
 

Otis said:
There is little doubt that Alabama is THE job in college football coaching. My top 5:
1. Alabama
2. Georgia
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan
5. Texas

All of these schools are as well supported by their admin, NIL, boosters and fans as possible. All are recruiting giants.

So what is Alabama going for?
An old coach? Probably not, they can afford to get a younger established coach.
A current staff member? Doubtful, not enough clout to run this machine and maybe not the power to recruit.
A Saban protege? Possibly, it’s worked for years with his system.

So here are my top three that they want:
1. Kirby Smart - yes, Alabama thinks they can get anyone.
2. Lincoln Riley - yes, they would poach him if interested.
3. Steve Sarkisian

Coaches they won’t interview:
Dion
Harbaugh
Day
Franklin
PJ
the list goes on…..

So who do you think it will be?

I’d kind of like to see Pete Carrol back in college football or even better, Belicheat!
Click to expand...
I think Pete is the same age as Saban and Bellichek is around that age too. Definitely will be looking at someone young and will stick around a while.
 

Jerry Jones will get the job, I thought Jerry Jones said. Joke.

But actually maybe the current Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy will be available.

Or Dan Lanning. But I think he declined.

Well then that leaves Jerry Jones.
 

The new rumored names: DeBoar, Norvell (who posted something saying he's probably coming back), Tommy Rees (Who has interviewed but seems unlikely), Drinkwitz and somehow, Locksley.
 

Gilthorp57 said:
Interesting question. I think Alabama already has a person already lined up. Don't think it's Kiffin, sounds like he likes Oxford. Smart and Sarkisian aren't leaving their jobs, especially Sark. Someone mentioned Locksley, that's a hard no, I hate to this, but Alabama isn't ready for that(still have a lot old school boosters still living). If someone were to break that barrier, it would someone like James Franklin. Probably comes down to Norvell or someone from the NFL
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If Ryans would say yes, I don't think there would be any issue.

Bama boosters would have an issue with Locksley because he's been a HC for 10 seasons and never finished over .500 in conference.
 

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