HOT or COLD: Rating the rumored candidates for the Alabama HC job
After spending 17 years in Tuscaloosa as the Alabama football head coach, Nick Saban has retired.
Though the news is still fresh, the focus isn’t on remembering what the legendary head coach did in Tuscaloosa, it’s on identifying who will replace him.
Many names have been thrown around as possible targets for the Crimson Tide. Some are just high-profile coaches, while others are genuine candidates. Overall, they remain just rumors and loose reports of potential interest.
Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne stated the program is looking to hire a coach who is “strong in recruiting and relationship building, player development, excels in X’s and O’s, and has the overall ability to lead this historic program.”
Let’s see which coaches meet the requirements and expectations to become the next Alabama head coach.
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Dan Lanning (Oregon head coach)
Temperature: Ice Cold
Dan Lanning is still relatively new at Oregon, but what he’s been able to accomplish is nothing short of impressive. He has proven to be a coach capable of recruiting at a high level, developing players, leading a team to success and creating a winning culture. Lanning, on paper, seems like the easy pick. There is one issue: He is not leaving Eugene. One day after Saban’s announcement, he posted a video to social media stating he will be with the Ducks for as long as they are willing to keep him around. The Crimson Tide will have to look elsewhere.
Kalen DeBoer (Washington head coach)
Temperature: Hot
Washington may have lost to Michigan in the national championship, but don’t let that distract you from the quality season the Huskies had in 2023. The success from this season could carry over into 2024, but so much is unknown regarding how this program will function in the Big Ten.
DeBoer has been a hot name around college football since his time at Fresno State just a few years ago. The only true knock on DeBoer’s resumé is his recruiting ability as a head coach. It’s not that he’s incapable of recruiting, but when compared to others on this list and the top-tier coaches in the SEC, questions must be asked. However, it may be unfair to judge his recruiting abilities, considering he left the Group of Five just a few seasons ago.
Steve Sarkisian (Texas head coach)
Temperature: Lukewarm
Only one man has served as the head coach of the Crimson Tide other than Nick Saban in the last 17 years, Steve Sarkisian. When Saban was unable to be on the sidelines for a single game in 2020 due to COVID-19, then-offensive coordinator Sarkisian stepped up and helped Alabama earn a 42-13 win over Auburn in the Iron Bowl.
Sarkisian is the head coach at Texas and has had plenty of success on the recruiting trail and the field. Most recently, the Longhorns and Sarkisian earned a huge road win in Tuscaloosa against the Crimson Tide in Week 2 and found their way into the College Football Playoffs. While he may be No. 1 on a lot of fans’ lists, it will be difficult to pry him away from Austin. He has a hefty buyout and has established himself as a quality coach at a program looking to return to the top.
Mike Norvell (Florida State head coach)
Temperature: Hot
Florida State fans already harbor a distaste for Alabama after the Seminoles were excluded from this past season’s College Football Playoffs as undefeated ACC champions while the Crimson Tide made it in with one loss. Well, they may soon have another reason to root against Alabama. Their head coach, Mike Norvell, has been named as a possible candidate to replace Nick Saban.
Norvell has created a strong culture in Tallahassee and has been able to consistently win and recruit at a high level. It would be interesting to see how he fits with the Crimson Tide program, but there aren’t many negatives that come to mind when thinking of this potential pairing.
Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss head coach)
Temperature: Warm
Lane Kiffin’s name had been thrown around for years as a possible replacement for Nick Saban when he ultimately retired. Well, here we are.
Kiffin did an excellent job as the offensive coordinator of the Crimson Tide and has been a strong head coach at Ole Miss. He’s also been a huge advocate for all things Saban and Alabama-related since he left Tuscaloosa. His ability to recruit and land talented players out of the transfer portal makes him one of the most attractive candidates for the job. The fact he’s already in the SEC and knows what it takes to recruit, coach and lead in the conference instantly makes him one of the best possible fits.
Will he be willing to leave behind the hard work he’s performed in Oxford to take over a program with the highest expectations imaginable?
Dabo Swinney (Clemson head coach)
Temperature: Cold
A native of Birmingham, Dabo Swinney played for the Crimson Tide and worked his way up the ranks as a coach. He has won multiple national championships at Clemson, defeating Alabama in those games. Swinney has proven himself as an elite coach and he has also been able to reel in some impressive recruiting classes. A few years ago, many had Swinney as their top option to take over the head coaching job when Saban called it quits. Today, however, that sentiment does not remain.
Clemson has had a rough two years and many have pointed to Swinney as the scapegoat. There’s a feeling he is falling behind as the game evolves in the name, image and likeness licensing and transfer portal eras. The fear is he will take his program down with him.
He can’t be ruled out as a legitimate option, but as things stand, it doesn’t look likely.
Kirby Smart (Georgia head coach)
Temperature: So cold that it’s frozen.
Kirby Smart was an excellent coach at Alabama while serving the defense under Nick Saban. However, he’s gone home to Georgia. Yes, I understand he was born in Montgomery, Alabama, but that does not mean there exists a prophecy that he must fulfill by returning to the state and coaching the Tide.
He has created what appears to be the early period of a dynasty in Athens, though he has a long way to go to rival Saban’s legacy. Smart was a defensive back for the Bulldogs from 1995-1998. I know many aren’t considering him as a real option, but I’ve seen his name mentioned too often for this to not be addressed.
