Who is Saban's replacement?

[Grogan11]

Lanning or Kiffin and the train will keep chugging down the tracks. Anybody else and I’m going to be very worried. Sark too but with Texas now in the SEC and the NIL advantages there I don’t see him leaving. I’d rather the ncaa hit us with the death penalty than hire Dabo. The game has passed him by.

 

[teamplayer]

It isn't Kiffin's coaching ability that would concern me. It is his character.

It's both for me because he is a douchebag of the highest order who also does stupid things to try to show how smart he is.

 

[KrAzY3]

A lot of comments about getting someone who can maintain like Les Miles after Saban at LSU. I don't expect that to be as easy with the NIL transfer portal

If Alabama gets an active coach with a proven track record, it will be much easier. If you look at the recruiting rankings from 2023 for instance you see:
#2 Smart
#3 Sark
#9 Lanning
#11 Dabo
#19 Norvell
#23 Kiffin
#26 DeBoer

The further down the list you go, the harder it becomes to hold things together basically, the ones with solid ties to current recruits won't have nearly as much trouble. You can see the drop off even on that list...

I see a lot of people are saying Lanning. What exaclty has he done? Saban had already won a NC when he was hired.

The only one on the list of names circulating that won a title (as a head coach, Lanning won as a DC) is Dabo and a lot of people around here have him as their least favorite. I don't think he's the risk some see him as, in fact I think he's much safer than Kiffin, but I see the appeal of someone like Lanning who doesn't have any baggage at all really.

If you are going to take a shot on someone that hasn't won it all yet, you'd be hard pressed to find a better candidate than Lanning who recruits well, recruits the portal well, and has had basically nothing but success (unlike Sark and Kiffin for example).

 

[mlh]

I don't know what it is about Kiffin, but he just reminds me of a 17-year-old, cocky, smart-ass high school kid who does whatever he can to get noticed. He even looks like a little kid.

I'd rather he stay at Ole Miss and continue to provide entertainment without any real substance.

 

[bamadwain]

Lanning wife is from Memphis! Just saying

 

[Joefus]

I think id like to go to the nfl well again personally. Vrabel obvi won’t come but if we could pull off getting a good coach who gets fired from the nfl bc they missed the playoff bc of a bad roster….that’d be niiiiiice. Saban gave us a permanent schematic advantage. I would place football knowledge etc over most anything else. With the NIL I think anyone can recruit decently with enough money.

 

[ga tide man #9]

I hope we do get someone fast. When can other teams start poaching our players?

 

[Power Eye]

I see a lot of people are saying Lanning. What exaclty has he done? Saban had already won a NC when he was hired.

Thanks in large part to Saban, there aren't a ton of coaches out there, that are still in coaching, that have won a national title:

• Harbaugh - for a multitude of reasons, that's a non-starter
• Smart - obviously would be the choice but for the fact that there is no way he would leave UGA
• Swinney - he refuses to adjust to NIL and the portal, so no
• Brown - I think he's same age as Saban and looks 15 years older, so no

Then you have the island of misfit toys with national titles that are all hard no's:

• Myer
• Fisher
• Chizik
• Orgeron

So, regardless, we aren't getting a HC with a national title under his belt.

 

[rolltide7854]

Nah, every premier coach thinks they can do it. People that rise to that level are all ultra-confident, borderline narcissistic.

And then there is Kiffin.

 

[81usaf92]

If Alabama gets an active coach with a proven track record, it will be much easier. If you look at the recruiting rankings from 2023 for instance you see:
#2 Smart
#3 Sark
#9 Lanning
#11 Dabo
#19 Norvell
#23 Kiffin
#26 DeBoer

The further down the list you go, the harder it becomes to hold things together basically, the ones with solid ties to current recruits won't have nearly as much trouble. You can see the drop off even on that list...


The only one on the list of names circulating that won a title (as a head coach, Lanning won as a DC) is Dabo and a lot of people around here have him as their least favorite. I don't think he's the risk some see him as, in fact I think he's much safer than Kiffin, but I see the appeal of someone like Lanning who doesn't have any baggage at all really.

If you are going to take a shot on someone that hasn't won it all yet, you'd be hard pressed to find a better candidate than Lanning who recruits well, recruits the portal well, and has had basically nothing but success (unlike Sark and Kiffin for example).

Here is the thing about Dabo. Let’s just put to the side all of the qualities that would make him the perfect Auburn coach in history like talking down to opponents, complaining about nonsense, being a goober, and having the cult leader persona down Pat. His disqualifying feature is his defiance towards the the transfer portal. The guy absolutely refuses to use. Why in the hell does anyone want someone that rather lose 3-4 ACC games a year than get a guy you desperately need from the transfer portal? It baffles me that any Alabama wants him past his playing career at Alabama and 2 once in a lifetime titles.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I think id like to go to the nfl well again personally. Vrabel obvi won’t come but if we could pull off getting a good coach who gets fired from the nfl bc they missed the playoff bc of a bad roster….that’d be niiiiiice. Saban gave us a permanent schematic advantage. I would place football knowledge etc over most anything else. With the NIL I think anyone can recruit decently with enough money.

Despite the two games growing closer, I think it's a hard gap to breach. College is infinitely harder, especially with unrestricted free agency...

 

[Bama Lee]

For all those saying Demeco, he is a bit busy right now. I would say there is a 0.0000000000000000000!% chance he does come. Seriously, why would he? He made the playoffs in his first year as a head coach.

Momma called!

 

[Bamamonts]

I am really rooting for Kiffin to the guy, but unfortunately I don't think it's going to be.

Wasn't really sold on Lanning at first, but the more I read about him, I guess the idea is that they're thinking he's gonna be the next Kirby Smart. It's a gamble, and he's still unproven (it's only been 2 years), but if that's the ceiling, then I suppose it's worth a shot. Byrne is the guy who gave us Nate Oats, so I trust his judgment on this. I'm warming up to the idea.

I’m hoping we get Lane Kiffin also.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Momma called!

this isn't the 1950s

 

[Perrett4Bama]

Someone who wants to make a name for themselves and prove that they can...............ego

And might I add, someone who would like a statue of themselves outside Bryant Denny Stadium. Might I also add, with all due respect, hope it looks better than CNS's...

 

[BamaFanInTally]

Yeah, that's why he's at #5 on my list and not higher. Dude is a good coach, though.

He would not be in the top 100 of my list.

 

[KrAzY3]

Here is the thing about Dabo. Let’s just put to the side all of the qualities that would make him the perfect Auburn coach in history like talking down to opponents, complaining about nonsense, being a goober, and having the cult leader persona down Pat. His disqualifying feature is his defiance towards the the transfer portal. The guy absolutely refuses to use. Why in the hell does anyone want someone that rather lose 3-4 ACC games a year than get a guy you desperately need from the transfer portal? It baffles me that any Alabama wants him past his playing career at Alabama and 2 once in a lifetime titles.

Well, first off I'm not saying Dabo should be the guy. I'd just put him higher on the list than Joey Freshwater who couldn't even show up lucid to a playoff game and forced a last minute switch at OC that probably cost Alabama a championship.

I would add though that my understanding is that one reason Alabama didn't get Bobby Bowden, a really obvious hire (Alabama native, Alabama player) is they thought he might peaked already which of course proved to be not true. Heck, even Bear Bryant had a lull in his career before he got things back on track.

So yes, Dabo needs to adapt but that doesn't mean he won't. Even Nick Saban let himself be mired down with Pete Golding for several years.

Having said that, I do get the appeal of Dan Lanning. He's young, he worked under both Saban and Smart, he's been successful and he does use the portal well and recruits well (easy to do when you have Phil Knight money, but still).

But... if you tell me to choose between Kiffin and Dabo, I'm choosing Dabo.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

But... if you tell me to choose between Kiffin and Dabo, I'm choosing Dabo.

 

[bamadwain]

I hope we do get someone fast. When can other teams start poaching our players?

NOW!

 

[Rocky Mtn Bob]

DeBoer: Could be a risk, but I like his style. I'd be fine with him.

Kiffin: I sincerely believe he's a better HC than he was an OC. I think I'd be fine with him.

Lanning: A lot of people seem to think he's the guy. I do not. He lost twice to DeBoer this past season ... and he has that weird $20MM buyout clause.