Who Replaces Nick Saban at Bama?

by Chris and Brendan Paschal

Nick Saban may seem immortal, but he’s not (right?). The Crimson Tide will eventually have to replace the Hall-of-Fame, legendary head coach, and while Alabama fans may not like thinking about that day, they definitely have. This post is not who would be the best replacement for Nick Saban, although there are aspects to that featured throughout, but instead this post is more focused on who Alabama will actually go after and ultimately land.

Both Paschal brothers offer their candidate and state why they think this coach could ultimately be who Alabama targets and lands post-Saban.

Chris: Jeremy Pruitt

Am I a mad man? Yes, I am, but give me a second to explain. This hire cannot just be an elite, top-level head coach with championships and wins attached to his name. It definitely can’t be a coach currently in the NFL. It cannot be a coordinator. It has to be someone who knows how to manage the SEC, someone who can recruit at a high level, someone that has a history of hiring great assistants, and someone that can manage a position like the head coaching job at Alabama. I think Pruitt checks all of those boxes off in a few years.

First, Pruitt is cutting his teeth as a head coach in the SEC. Not only that, but he is trying to rebuild a program in the SEC. He’s trying to orchestrate one of the greatest resurrections in college football history while facing Georgia and Alabama every year. He knows what this conference can do to you week-in-week-out. Mario Christobol at Oregon or Scott Frost at Nebraska doesn’t have that type of experience. Pruitt does.

Further, Pruitt has been able to build a staff around him that has helped in his transition and maturation as a head coach. Stealing Jim Chaney away from Georgia and making him your offensive coordinator shows an edge and a creativity that is needed to be successful in this league. Pruitt has exhibited that type of behavior in only his second year as a head coach in the SEC.

Second, Pruitt is a helluva recruiter. Tennessee is already starting to win recruiting battles against Kirby Smart, Will Muschamp, Ed Orgeron, and even Nick Saban himself. And he recruits well at key positions. Pruitt, in his first full recruiting class, hauled in not one, but two, five star offensive tackles. He was able to sign two blue-chip, highly-touted linebacker prospects. He was able to pull a highly-ranked safety out of the Atlanta area. He signed two of the top-ranked JUCO defensive tackles in the country. He snagged two former five-star recruits in Aubrey Solomon (defensive tackle) and Deangelo Gibbs (defensive back) from Michigan and Georgia, respectively, in the transfer portal.

This was a huge splash in his first cycle. And it will definitely continue the longer he stays in Knoxville. This type of skill is crucial for the next head coach at Alabama. Yes, Alabama sells itself, but a lot of the Crimson Tide’s dominance on the recruiting trail is due to the fact that Nick Saban may be the greatest recruiter in college football history. Alabama will need a coach that can match, or at least come close to, the energy and success Saban had on the recruiting trial. Pruitt checks that box.

Third, he has already shown an ability to win over his players and build trust within the locker room. Whoever follows Saban is going to walk into a locker room full of young men that were promised by Saban to get top-notch coaching, an attention to detail that is unparalleled, and the opportunity to make it to the NFL. You can’t have a milquetoast walk into that locker room. You have to have someone that is able to look those young men in the eyes and say nothing is changing and that SEC and National Titles are still the standard. Pruitt was able to walk into the biggest dumpster fire in college football and implement a new culture of competition and winning. That is something that translates well to Tuscaloosa.

Fourth, and finally, Pruitt is the right man to replace Saban because he understands how to manage expectations. Alabama fans are not going to be okay with a coach that demands patience and time. Pruitt wouldn’t ask for that. He is from Alabama. He knows all of the high schools. He knows all of the small towns. He knows Alabama. He would be able to go to those fish frys and chicken dinners during the offseason and talk to Alabamians as an Alabamian and tell them that the Crimson Tide isn’t going to fall off a cliff.

Not only that, but he has coached at Alabama under Nick Saban. He knows what is expected. He knows what happens when expectations are not met. That experience, and determined mindset, is what has helped him manage expectations at Tennessee. Expectations that crushed Butch Jones. That feeling of uncertainty and desperation would be nothing new to Jeremy Pruitt.

Brendan: Dabo Swinney

Let’s be honest, whoever replaces Saban will not meet the standards of Alabama Football. They will struggle to live up to the high expectations and be out of Tuscaloosa faster than most students. It happened after Paul Bryant’s career, with Ray Perkins (1983-86) and Bill Curry (1987-1989). Then again after Gene Stallings’ tenure. Mike DuBose was out the year after he won SEC Coach of the Year. Dennis Franchione lasted a mere two seasons after DuBose before leaving Alabama with massive NCAA Sanctions to coach for Texas A&M. Although the sanctions were not entirely Franchione’s fault he still bailed on the Tide. Then there was Mike Shula who was no success story either. It took over a decade for Alabama to finally find a steady coach in Nick Saban.

All that being said, Alabama does not have a good track record of replacing head coaches who had hall-of-fame careers. Nick Saban is one of greatest – if not the greatest – coach in college football history. That’s one tough act to follow. There are not many coaches who could live up to the “Saban Standard.” But Dabo Swinney could.

Dabo Swinney is the only head coach in college football who not only competes against Alabama on and off the field, but he is the only one who consistently beats Saban. Swinney might be the only man in the United States who can go into the state of Alabama and convince a 17-year-old to go play in South Carolina. In the past four years Clemson has beaten Alabama twice. Also, in the four years Alabama has lost to Ole Miss (2015) and Auburn (2017). Let that sink in. Clemson has just as many wins against Alabama as the entire SEC West and Georgia combined.

If there is any coach in the United States that is “worthy” of replacing Saban it’s Swinney. But that was never really the issue. The real question is – will Swinney even take the job?

Clemson fans – Stop. Breathe.

I know Dabo Swinney has said he would not leave his Clemson family for Alabama. I also know that he signed an incredible 10-year, $92 million contract back in April. And yes, I know that contract has a clause where his buyout increases from $4 million to $6 million if he left to coach at Alabama. But 10 years is a long time. A long ass time.

Picture yourself 10 years ago. Are you the same person you are today? Do you have the same friends? If you had a glimpse into the future would you even believe that could be you?

A lot can change, and it doesn’t take much for a coach to leave these days. There are so many factors that go into play on how Swinney could leave. A scandal could break out (shoutout to Newspring!). Clemson could start losing, which is unlikely because the ACC doesn’t look like it’s going to improve any time soon. Swinney could lose interest much like when Steve Spurrier left Florida for the NFL. If you don’t think winning gets boring then you’ve never played Dynasty Mode in NCAA Football. Things become automatic, mundane even… All in all, a lot can happen.