Nick Saban returning to coaching? Hmmm

[DelMar]

Lots of chatter on this... so if true... where does he land?

I liked this writers ranked order of where he could land...

5. Alabama
Okay, this one makes too much sense.
Despite his generational recruiting run these past six weeks, the 'Bama faithful won't have the patience for another 9-3 season from coach Kalen DeBoer.
Should the tide stumble at all against a fairly healthy SEC schedule, the calls for Saban to come home might be too loud to ignore.
Would Saban be willing to take over for the Crimson Tide again? We may find out with another lackluster season from DeBoer

4. West Virginia
Saban is famously from West Virginia, so this could be seen as a homecoming of sorts.
A stint as the Mountaineers head coach could be a sort of "reverse sliding doors" moment, especially considering who the current coach in Morgantown is.
We were almost a Drew Brees passed physical in Miami away from Rich Rodriguez being the Alabama football coach, so seeing Nick Saban swoop in and steal the position away from RichRod after less than a year back in the Mountain State would be some kind of weird cosmic irony.
Just for the laughs, I'd love to see this happen.

3. Florida State
Similarly to the West Virginia situation in the late 2000s, Florida State's current head coach, Mike Norvell, was linked to the Alabama head-coaching position when Saban stepped down in January 2024.
Norvell was coming off a 13-1 season and an ACC Championship, so he was able to parlay that and the 'Bama rumors into a huge extension.
Since the big contract, however, the Seminoles have fallen on some hard times, so if Saban were to become available, the FSU boosters might have no choice other than to go digging through couch cushions for Norvell's buyout – estimated at $63 million.
Saban also has ties to Florida State legend Bobby Bowden as well as former Seminole national championship coach Jimbo Fisher, so the narrative pretty much writes itself for Saban to be the next savior in Tallahassee.

2. Colorado
Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter have made their way to the NFL, so something tells me Deion Sanders' days in Boulder could be numbered.
What better way to follow the splash hire of Sanders than with the biggest splash of them all.
It's a reach, sure, but I think Colorado's brass and boosters are committed to winning and would give Saban the resources he would need to win now.
They've famously landed some pretty big-time recruits in the NIL era, like five-stars Jordan Seaton (OT) and Julian Lewis (QB).
I would love to see what a killer on the recruiting trail like Saban could do in a similar situation.

1. LSU
This one would rock for a number of reasons, so let's unpack them.
For starters, Saban coached and won a national championship at LSU, so seeing him make his way back to Baton Rouge would be fun from a narrative perspective.
There's also the fact that he once beat current Tigers head coach, Brian Kelly, like a drum in the 2012 National Championship game when Kelly was the coach at Notre Dame, so stealing the LSU job from him would add a little salt in that wound.
Kelly has also underperformed since arriving on the Bayou in 2022, and another season without a playoff berth, especially with the Tigers' very loaded roster this season, might be grounds for expulsion from Death Valley.
And guess who would be waiting in the wings to take over?
I'm just saying it's an idea.


Dark Horse Team: MY USC Trojans... (because 85% of the USC family do not believe in Lincoln. The only thing that saved Lincoln was the hiring of a G.M., which in turn has made the Trojans ranked back in the top 3 in the land in recruiting. SO, Riley has the talent, but can he coach them to a chip? We will see this season, but my gut says this is Lincoln's last season for the Trojans.

[ocram23]

Lots of chatter on this... so if true... where does he land?

I liked this writers ranked order of where he could land...

5. Alabama
Okay, this one makes too much sense.
Despite his generational recruiting run these past six weeks, the 'Bama faithful won't have the patience for another 9-3 season from coach Kalen DeBoer.
Should the tide stumble at all against a fairly healthy SEC schedule, the calls for Saban to come home might be too loud to ignore.
Would Saban be willing to take over for the Crimson Tide again? We may find out with another lackluster season from DeBoer

4. West Virginia
Saban is famously from West Virginia, so this could be seen as a homecoming of sorts.
A stint as the Mountaineers head coach could be a sort of "reverse sliding doors" moment, especially considering who the current coach in Morgantown is.
We were almost a Drew Brees passed physical in Miami away from Rich Rodriguez being the Alabama football coach, so seeing Nick Saban swoop in and steal the position away from RichRod after less than a year back in the Mountain State would be some kind of weird cosmic irony.
Just for the laughs, I'd love to see this happen.

3. Florida State
Similarly to the West Virginia situation in the late 2000s, Florida State's current head coach, Mike Norvell, was linked to the Alabama head-coaching position when Saban stepped down in January 2024.
Norvell was coming off a 13-1 season and an ACC Championship, so he was able to parlay that and the 'Bama rumors into a huge extension.
Since the big contract, however, the Seminoles have fallen on some hard times, so if Saban were to become available, the FSU boosters might have no choice other than to go digging through couch cushions for Norvell's buyout – estimated at $63 million.
Saban also has ties to Florida State legend Bobby Bowden as well as former Seminole national championship coach Jimbo Fisher, so the narrative pretty much writes itself for Saban to be the next savior in Tallahassee.

2. Colorado
Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter have made their way to the NFL, so something tells me Deion Sanders' days in Boulder could be numbered.
What better way to follow the splash hire of Sanders than with the biggest splash of them all.
It's a reach, sure, but I think Colorado's brass and boosters are committed to winning and would give Saban the resources he would need to win now.
They've famously landed some pretty big-time recruits in the NIL era, like five-stars Jordan Seaton (OT) and Julian Lewis (QB).
I would love to see what a killer on the recruiting trail like Saban could do in a similar situation.

1. LSU
This one would rock for a number of reasons, so let's unpack them.
For starters, Saban coached and won a national championship at LSU, so seeing him make his way back to Baton Rouge would be fun from a narrative perspective.
There's also the fact that he once beat current Tigers head coach, Brian Kelly, like a drum in the 2012 National Championship game when Kelly was the coach at Notre Dame, so stealing the LSU job from him would add a little salt in that wound.
Kelly has also underperformed since arriving on the Bayou in 2022, and another season without a playoff berth, especially with the Tigers' very loaded roster this season, might be grounds for expulsion from Death Valley.
And guess who would be waiting in the wings to take over?
I'm just saying it's an idea.


Dark Horse Team: MY USC Trojans... (because 85% of the USC family do not believe in Lincoln. The only thing that saved Lincoln was the hiring of a G.M., which in turn has made the Trojans ranked back in the top 3 in the land in recruiting. SO, Riley has the talent, but can he coach them to a chip? We will see this season, but my gut says this is Lincoln's last season for the Trojans.

highly doubt he is coming back but there are rumblings from Bama about concern already DeBoer. I think Kelly has to win this year or he is gone. the story about the ex player, forget his name, who had to had a life threatening surgery and Kelly not talking to him for a year and a half is horrible. LSU faithful want this guy out. those are the top 2 choices.

[Claremontram]

Maybe the Arkansas billionnaires will pony up and bring him to Fayetteville like they did with Calipari for basketball.

If you can't beat um; buy um.

[CierraRam]

Or possibly Michigan St to resurrect the program and also finish where he pretty much started.

[DVA_ram33]

I would love it if he coached another NFC West team.. ideally the 49ers

[Bulldawg]

One of the reasons he left was due to all the issues with NIL. They havn't fixed even one. Why would he come back? Too much of a headache and not very much loyalty.

[DelMar]

One of the reasons he left was due to all the issues with NIL. They havn't fixed even one. Why would he come back? Too much of a headache and not very much loyalty.

Game has def changed, and my understanding is that is why he left in the first place... but maybe he's having schools come to him offering him a no limit in NIL funds, along w a 220 ft yacht. I mean who knows, but it's still the wild west in college sports. So maybe he's just getting the itch... I find it odd at his age to come back and restart an entire program. He's already prob the greatest college coach of all time.

The reason why I think it could be USC IF he did come back, is that SC has the #1 recruiting class in the nation and have fixed a ton of crap. Since they hired a GM (Chad Bowden). Riley I think is in way over his head w SC and would w all the money SC has, its a good start for Nick. Also, its not in the SEC... (personally I think SC is going to struggle as long at there in the BIG 10, and not because of the Ohio St's or Michigans... but because of the constant beating of travel and Riley is not a BIG game winning coach. Those flts take a toll on anyone. But, maybe I'll get surprised this season. But if Lincoln falls flat, yet again... I would not be surprised if we got Saban Or even your ALL TIME favorite coach, the one and only... Urban Meyers.

[ocram23]

One of the reasons he left was due to all the issues with NIL. They havn't fixed even one. Why would he come back? Too much of a headache and not very much loyalty.

Game has def changed, and my understanding is that is why he left in the first place... but maybe he's having schools come to him offering him a no limit in NIL funds, along w a 220 ft yacht. I mean who knows, but it's still the wild west in college sports. So maybe he's just getting the itch... I find it odd at his age to come back and restart an entire program. He's already prob the greatest college coach of all time.

The reason why I think it could be USC IF he did come back, is that SC has the #1 recruiting class in the nation and have fixed a ton of crap. Since they hired a GM (Chad Bowden). Riley I think is in way over his head w SC and would w all the money SC has, its a good start for Nick. Also, its not in the SEC... (personally I think SC is going to struggle as long at there in the BIG 10, and not because of the Ohio St's or Michigans... but because of the constant beating of travel and Riley is not a BIG game winning coach. Those flts take a toll on anyone. But, maybe I'll get surprised this season. But if Lincoln falls flat, yet again... I would not be surprised if we got Saban Or even your ALL TIME favorite coach, the one and only... Urban Meyers.

IMHO Lincoln has 2 yrs. USC won't fire him until after 2026. Like u said he has the #1 recruiting class coming in so the school will give him a chance. Plus his buyout is too big

[RamPower]

One of the reasons he left was due to all the issues with NIL. They havn't fixed even one. Why would he come back? Too much of a headache and not very much loyalty.

Yep. I remembered he was a huge whiner about Chip Kelly’s fast offenses too.

Why would he come back if he can’t at least be guaranteed a top 3 player talent pool each year? Coach somewhere under an actual even playing field? :o

[DelMar]

Game has def changed, and my understanding is that is why he left in the first place... but maybe he's having schools come to him offering him a no limit in NIL funds, along w a 220 ft yacht. I mean who knows, but it's still the wild west in college sports. So maybe he's just getting the itch... I find it odd at his age to come back and restart an entire program. He's already prob the greatest college coach of all time.

The reason why I think it could be USC IF he did come back, is that SC has the #1 recruiting class in the nation and have fixed a ton of crap. Since they hired a GM (Chad Bowden). Riley I think is in way over his head w SC and would w all the money SC has, its a good start for Nick. Also, its not in the SEC... (personally I think SC is going to struggle as long at there in the BIG 10, and not because of the Ohio St's or Michigans... but because of the constant beating of travel and Riley is not a BIG game winning coach. Those flts take a toll on anyone. But, maybe I'll get surprised this season. But if Lincoln falls flat, yet again... I would not be surprised if we got Saban Or even your ALL TIME favorite coach, the one and only... Urban Meyers.

IMHO Lincoln has 2 yrs. USC won't fire him until after 2026. Like u said he has the #1 recruiting class coming in so the school will give him a chance. Plus his buyout is too big

Lincoln Riley Buyout all comes down to if they fire him 'with cause' imo, But we also could pay the huge buyout... I am sure SC has a plan in place to fire him w cause, if they go that route. There are some rumblings that there already is 'cause' if they fired him, but that will end up in court and go on for years...

What bothered me about this deal to begin with, is that we (USC) seemed to have learned nothing after Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M where they paid him literally $77.5 MILLION to leave. Insane. But this could be what USC is forced to do, if Lincoln sucks, once again.

One of the most critical components of Riley’s contract is the buyout clause, which serves as a significant safeguard for his position. If USC were to terminate Riley without cause, they would be responsible for paying the remaining value of his contract. As of 2024, his estimated buyout stands at $88 million, making it one of the most expensive buyout clauses in college football.

The buyout is fully guaranteed, meaning USC would be on the hook for the entire amount if they decide to part ways with Riley. This figure decreases slightly each year as he works through his contract, but it remains a colossal financial obstacle for the university if they choose to make a coaching change.

[DelMar]

Speaking of NIL, looks like changes are indeed coming... Looks like Saban has been working with Trump on it.

Will this bring Saban back?

We shall see

[ocram23]

Speaking of NIL, looks like changes are indeed coming... Looks like Saban has been working with Trump on it.

Will this bring Saban back?

We shall see

everyone has a cap now. only thing that must be changed is the amount of times you can transfer IMO.

[DelMar]

I do miss these... Coach Common Sense!

[Bulldawg]

Speaking of NIL, looks like changes are indeed coming... Looks like Saban has been working with Trump on it.

Will this bring Saban back?

We shall see

everyone has a cap now. only thing that must be changed is the amount of times you can transfer IMO.

I heard there is going to be a "cap", but I don't have a lot of confidence that it will be enforced. (It will at least be difficult to enforce.) They have tasted the forbidden fruit and now can't get enough.

[ocram23]

everyone has a cap now. only thing that must be changed is the amount of times you can transfer IMO.

I heard there is going to be a "cap", but I don't have a lot of confidence that it will be enforced. (It will at least be difficult to enforce.) They have tasted the forbidden fruit and now can't get enough.

CAP is $20.5M