Offseason Question: When Saban Retires.....Who?

4Q Basket Case

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It's the offseason, so I thought I'd ask the board consensus:

One day in the next few years, Nick Saban is going to head to the lake permanently. When that dark day comes, who's in your short list to replace him?

Has to be somebody who would realistically come -- so Belichik (sp?) and Meyer are out. Smart, too.

I'd make Dabo give me an answer, though I really don't think he'd come.

After that, it's tough. There are no perfect candidates -- everybody has multiple weaknesses. But it's a whole lot easier to pick a candidate apart than it is to choose one.

After Dabo, I'd go after Jimbo Fisher.

Then Franklin at Penn State.

Then Pruitt, assuming he does well at UT.

Then Fuente at Va. Tech.

Ater that, I'm out of ideas. What say you?
 

AlexanderFan

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Lincoln Riley [emoji57]

I'm thinking Tosh if he has the fire. Great recruiter, defensive side of the football (those personalities seem to let the offensive guys do their own thing, the opposite isn't always true), and he's been loyal so far.

I wouldn't be sad to see a more mature Kiffin return, assuming he's learned to be the father of the franchise and not the crazy Uncle you only invite to family reunions.


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BamaMoon

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I agree that Dabo is the most qualified of those who'd probably come right now. He's a NC caliber coach who's built and maintained a program that looks like it's going nowhere anytime soon. I also think he's enough different from CNS that it will help him succeed. Yes, I think the one who follows CNS needs to be different in style than CNS, but has proven he can get similar results. Dabo, IMO, in the one who would fit the best right now.

I'm also rooting for Jeremy Pruit to bring UT back to a respectable level. Obviously, I don't won't him to beat us, but if there a rare year we don't play in the SECG and UT did I'd root for him to win it. I miss the days when UT and Bama was a great rivalry. Not sure if we can ever go back to that, but I'm rooting the JP proves he's the kind of coach that might could come back one day. Only time will tell.

OH, I say not to Jimbo Fisher. Just something about him eeks me.
 

81usaf92

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Peterson is my top pick but I think culturally he may find it difficult to come here ( religious rumors, and always been a west coast guy)

We probably are going to after all the big names you would expect but ultimately I think we are going to settle for someone outside that list.
 

BamaHoosier

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At some point you'd have to give Chris Petersen a look.
I like Chris Peterson a lot. The man wins everywhere and he's coached nowhere but black holes of college football history. He's done more with less talent than any coach I can ever recall. Plus he seems to be a legitimately good guy. I think he's by far the most underrated coach in the country.

Couple of problems though. Assuming that Saban coaches another 4-6 years, Peterson would be pushing 60 before he ever got an offer. He's turned down big programs before but if he were to take an offer from a bigger program, I'd think he'd do it before hitting 60. So age might become a factor at some point.

Plus he's a west coast guy who has proven to be unmotivated by money or prestige. He turned down USC and many other teams years ago and I don't see him changing his priorities at that stage of his career. He's built a machine at a university where he has almost no expectations, little pressure, and makes decent enough money. He's in a conference that is far weaker than the ACC, B1G, or SEC, so he knows he'll always be a playoff contender. After Browning graduates and goes to the NFL, he has another extremely talented QB in Jacob Eason coming in who should put up crazy numbers in that system with 3 years of eligibility left. I don't think he'll ever leave the PNW, and I wouldn't blame him a bit.
 
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B1GTide

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If I had to choose now, I would choose Dabo. Elite recruiter with elite defenses and offenses. But in 5 years my choice might be vert different.
 

PA Tide Fan

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If Saban coaches another 10 years like some think he might then the coach who replaces him may not even be on the radar screen yet. If he retires within the next 3-4 seasons it would seem Dabo would be the most likely choice.
 

RollTide_HTTR

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I like Chris Peterson a lot. The man wins everywhere and he's coached nowhere but black holes of college football history. He's done more with less talent than any coach I can ever recall. Plus he seems to be a legitimately good guy. I think he's by far the most underrated coach in the country.

Couple of problems though. Assuming that Saban coaches another 4-6 years, Peterson would be pushing 60 before he ever got an offer. He's turned down big programs before but if he were to take an offer from a bigger program, I'd think he'd do it before hitting 60. So age might become a factor at some point.

Plus he's a west coast guy who has proven to be unmotivated by money or prestige. He turned down USC and many other teams years ago and I don't see him changing his priorities at that stage of his career. He's built a machine at a university where he has almost no expectations, little pressure, and makes decent enough money. He's in a conference that is far weaker than the ACC, B1G, or SEC, so he knows he'll always be a playoff contender. After Browning graduates and goes to the NFL, he has another extremely talented QB in Jacob Eason coming in who should put up crazy numbers in that system with 3 years of eligibility left. I don't think he'll ever leave the PNW, and I wouldn't blame him a bit.
All valid. Don't think he is high on the list when it comes to odds of him replacing Saban. But, based on what we know today I'd give him a call.
 

BamaHoosier

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All valid. Don't think he is high on the list when it comes to odds of him replacing Saban. But, based on what we know today I'd give him a call
If we were talking right here, right now, I 110% agree. He's one of the few I think who could slip in behind Saban and not let the program drop at all.
 
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RedWave

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Does Peterson have the recruiting skills it would take to compete here? I think that might be the bigger issue than just pure coaching ability.

And I stick with my initial response. This is not a topic I like to have to think about. I hope the next coach after Saban hasn't even reached high school yet as of today.
 

Redwood Forrest

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It will be a few years and I have no favorite right now. But the only thing I would really look at is does he understand Southern Football. Does he understand the passion of the SEC. I don't think Coach Saban ever coached in the South before he came to LSU, so it is not a requirement. Still, I would be looking at that part of the picture.
 

KrAzY3

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At some point you'd have to give Chris Petersen a look.
He's a great coach but also a west coast guy who is 53. So you're taking a bit of a risk on a guy who might not really be the best fit for the SEC. I'd like a guy like that a lot more in his early 40s, so he'd have more time to adjust. 53 is a win now hire. So, I'd look at Petersen more as a plan-b hire, but he could turn out to be a Les Miles type hire, good in some areas but lacking in others.

Anyway, if it happened at this moment I would say Dabo, he has just about every possible tie to Alabama and he's a top 3 coach right now. Meyer isn't realistic, and to me Jimbo has too much baggage.

Beyond that? I feel like it would take a crystal ball, there's no telling who the hot coach would be at the point in time in which the job becomes available. I mean I'd have said Jimbo when he was younger/before all the Winston nonsense and last year's horrible showing. Now he's 52, coming off his a season so horrible not only did he fail to finish it, but it was so bad that Alabama almost missed out on the playoffs thanks to his team sucking. Furthermore, the biggest star he'd produced is abusive and pretty much got away with it while he was at FSU. So... things can change.
 

TomFromBama

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It's the offseason, so I thought I'd ask the board consensus:

One day in the next few years, Nick Saban is going to head to the lake permanently. When that dark day comes, who's in your short list to replace him?

Has to be somebody who would realistically come -- so Belichik (sp?) and Meyer are out. Smart, too.

I'd make Dabo give me an answer, though I really don't think he'd come.

After that, it's tough. There are no perfect candidates -- everybody has multiple weaknesses. But it's a whole lot easier to pick a candidate apart than it is to choose one.

After Dabo, I'd go after Jimbo Fisher.

Then Franklin at Penn State.

Then Pruitt, assuming he does well at UT.

Then Fuente at Va. Tech.

Ater that, I'm out of ideas. What say you?
Great and fun off season question, and it seems like it comes up on this board about every 8-12 weeks.

So repeating more-or-less what I say every time - NO ONE can know what's in any other person's heart. Saban could win a NC this fall and decide he's accomplished all he wanted to accomplish, and retire. My sense (hope) is that he's not "Built" that way, and will coach as long as he's able to produce quality teams. I think he gets his greatest personal satisfaction out of the impact he has on his players and coaches, MORE SO than the outcome of games - even though he's relentless competitive about every snap of every game. (just my opinion)

Coach Saban will turn 67 this October, the week of the LSux game. He looks great for 66 ! But when you pull out a video of, say, the 2009 or 2011 NC games, you can tell that time IS catching up to him, albeit slowly. NONE OF US is "Guaranteed" a another day on this earth, and any of us could go tomorrow - even Coach Saban. But just looking at it pragmatically - as good as his health and energy is at age 66 (and it's Excellent) there's no reason to think he doesn't have at least 4-5 more years "in the tank". I HOPE he coaches 10 more years! But my guess is that (Barring accident or major illness) he's with us 5-6 more seasons. That puts him at age 72 or 73, retiring at the end of either the 2023 or 24 seasons.

Let's assume, for shoots and giggles, that he keeps on dominating the CFB world for Five more seasons, and goes out with a bang, winning the 2023 NC (his NINTH!). What MIGHT the landscape look like in December 2023?

Bill Belichick will be 71 years old, and recently, but permanently, retired.
Urban Myth will be 58 years old and will have coached ELEVEN years at Ohio $tate, and will likely already be (or quickly closing in) on becoming their all-time winning-est coach, behind only Woody Hayes, but with the best Winning % of any O$U coach.
Dabo will be 54 years old, and will have coached FIFTEEN YEARS at Clempson - oh, and ALL of his kids will have gone to college and earned degrees at Clempson.
Jimbo Fulmer will be 58 years old, and will Either have FIVE years under his belt at THE VERY WEALTHIEST school in the SEC - or he will have been recently fired. (My guess is the latter)
James Franklin will be 51 years old, and will have coached TEN years at Ped State. He will Still be a Native of Pennsylvania, and Still have NO CONNECTION to the SEC save his three years in Nashville.
Jeremy Pruitt will be 49 years old. He will EITHER have coached Five seasons at UcheaT and returned them to competitiveness, OR been recently fired, OR (my hope) moved on to a Better Job, either in the NFL or at a P-5 program (hopefully) outside the SEC.
Justin Fuente will be 46 years old, and likely will have coached VaTech for Seven years. He will still have no connection to the SEC, either by birth, nor as a player or a coach.
Chris Petersen will be 58 years old and finished Nine years at Washington - he's coached only ONE season east of the Rockies, and ZERO seasons anywhere close to the South. Not a likely candidate.
MOST of the rest of the current P-5 HC's will have been fired by then.

Reality is, Dabo and Meyer will likely be in the same boat - unless either of them flames out, both will be Living LEGENDS at their respective schools, and each of their schools will happily match and beat any financial offer Alabama could make.
Kirby Smart might be in the same situation at UGa - but either way, he's not leaving his alma mater unless they fire him.
Jimbo Fulmer will still be "Will Muschamp" with a better QB. IMO it's "Even Money" at best that he's still hanging on at aTm, and that's Assuming he's not caught in another Player RAPE controversy.
Franklin and Fuente are both fine coaches, but neither will be motivated to gamble their personal legacies by following a LEGEND at Alabama - Both will realize that the odds aren't very good for coaches who immediately follow legends.

What about other limbs on the "Saban Tree"? Ignoring the several good coaches who will be too old, who's left?
Major Applewhite? Please......
Will Muschamp? He and Jim McElwain are both "Damaged Goods" and barring a miracle, neither would get even a sniff from UA.
Saban's NFL assistants? Garrett seems to be purely an NFL guy. Quinn coached a couple years, painfully, at UF (2011 & 12), so why would he want back into CFB? Gasse has the closest connections to Saban, but he hasn't coached in College since 2002. Any of these would be a longshot.
Marion Cristobol? A great recrutier, but - lets be honest - a BUST as a position coach. They guy can be a great Recruting coordinator anywhere, but he doesn't but it as an actual coach.

Best Bets? - IMO
In no particular Order:
Jeremy Pruitt - if he Blows it UP at UcheaT And takes a better HC job, (preferably outside the SEC), after the 2020 season - and does well at that job too.
Tosh Lupoi OR Mike Locksley - IF either of them gets a HC job within the next two years AND wins big in that job.
Billy Napier IF he blows it up big at ULL AND gets a P-5 job AND wins big there his first couple years.

But frankly, I wouldn't bet money on any of those. IF it's 2023 or later, the guy we hire then probably isn't on anyone's radar yet.

Just my opinions.
 

RollTide_HTTR

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I think someone else said this earlier but it would be fun if Kiffin grew up and came back as HC. I don't see any way that happens though.
 

81usaf92

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Saban disciples have a horrible track record and I think Bama will avoid the disciple thing this time around. I think it’s more likely that someone like Dave Aranda leaves LSU and has success at a mid tier and is hired as the HC at Alabama than someone currently on our staff. I just think the Perkins lesson might have been learned
 
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