The Alabama Crimson Tide have lost a coach that is widely considered to be one of the greatest coaches in college football history as head coach Nick Saban is retiring, according to ESPN Senior Writer Chris Low.
Nick Saban is retiring, sources tell ESPN. He won six national titles at Alabama.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) January 10, 2024
Low said that Saban informed Alabama players about his decision Wednesday. The 72-year-old has been with Alabama since 2007. Saban had just one losing season at Alabama on his way to a 201-29 record with the Crimson Tide.
Saban’s tenure at Alabama will be difficult to replicate. He won seven titles as a college football head coach, and six of them were with the Crimson Tide. After going 7-6 in his first season with Alabama, Saban never won less than 10 games. Saban has produced more first-round draft picks than he has losses as 44 Alabama players went in the first round under Saban.
Saban only had one season with less than 11 wins with Alabama. His coaching tree is unlike any other, and it may include his replacement. Coaches that have worked under, or with Saban in some capacity include:
- Kirby Smart
- Lane Kiffin
- Will Muschamp
- Jeremy Pruitt
- Mark Dantonio
- Jimbo Fisher
- Bill O’Brien
- Steve Sarkisian
- Jim McElwain
- Mel Tucker
- Billy Napier
- Mario Cristobal
- Mike Locksley
- Jason Garrett
- Dan Lanning
- Major Applewhite
- Brian Daboll
- Curt Cignetti
Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Nick Saban as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide
Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning was a graduate assistant under Saban at Alabama in 2015. He worked under a branch of the Saban coaching tree in Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart before taking the head coaching job with the Oregon Ducks. Lanning is one of the top candidates for the job, according to College Football Report.
Dan Lanning is the expected front runner for the Alabama Head Coaching position. pic.twitter.com/UPM3tkSgzS
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) January 10, 2024
Lanning led the Oregon Ducks to a 10-win season and a 12-win season in his two years as the head coach. His two losses in the 2023 season came against the Washington Huskies, who made the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
Lanning has also proven his ability to compete in the SEC as the defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs from 2019-2021. The 2021 Bulldogs defense is considered to be one of the greatest defenses in college football history.
Defense-wins-Championships.
2021 Georgia eventually had all 11 starters drafted in the NFL & 7 of them were first round picks.pic.twitter.com/D70A46TtOK
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) January 9, 2024
Lanning has one of the highest buyouts among potential candidates at $20 million.
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is another candidate to replace Nick Saban as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide
The current head coach of the Texas Longhorns, Steve Sarkisian, is another top candidate for the newly vacated Alabama job. Sarkisian served as an offensive coordinator under Saban at Alabama from 2019-2020.
He has proven his worth in the SEC, as the offense he led in Alabama was one of the best in the country. In 2020, Sarkisian had the Crimson tide at second in scoring offense with 48.5 points per game. He also had them at fourth in total offense with 541.8 yards per game.
Sarkisian has also proven his ability to run a successful program as his Texas Longhorns made it to the College Football Playoff this year. With the foundation that Saban has built at Alabama, Sarkisian has shown that he can at least keep Alabama in the national conversation.
Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney could return to his alma mater, the Alabama Crimson Tide, to replace Nick Saban after a down year at Clemson
Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney was one of Saban’s biggest rivals. Swinney and Saban faced off in the College Football Playoff National Championship game three times. Swinney won twice, and in one instance handed Alabama the worst loss of the Saban era.
Swinney beat the Crimson Tide 44-16 in the 2018 title match, and it was the last time Clemson would win one. Swinney suffered the same fate as Saban in next year’s title game as the LSU Tigers beat his Clemson team 42-25.
Swinney has not returned to the national championship game since, and had one of the worst years in recent memory in 2023. His 9-4 record was the first time Swinney hadn’t achieved 10 wins since 2010. This down year could make it the perfect time for him to leave Clemson, and join his alma mater.
Get More NFL and College Football Content
For more news and trends in the college football world, click here or follow me on Twitter @KusleikaAndrew.