ESPN releases Alabama Hot Board: Top Candidates to replace Nick Saban

With Nick Saban’s retirement now official, Alabama is on the hunt for his replacement. It’s a tall task replacing the greatest of all time, but the Crimson Tide will have no shortage of suitors to take over the program following Saban’s stunning decision.

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg has released his Hot Board for who Alabama could hire as its next coach, and it features some notable names with connections to both Saban and the university. Crimson Tide athletic director Greg Byrne said the “ideal candidate will be strong in recruiting and relationship building, player development, excel in Xs and Os and have the overall ability to lead this historic program,” which shows how high the expectations are for the hire.

Let’s dive in to one of the many Hot Boards for Alabama from ESPN.

Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss head coach

Lane Kiffin’s hire at Alabama signaled a new era for the Crimson Tide as Nick Saban brought him aboard as offensive coordinator and started a shift away from the traditional ground-and-pound style. The two developed a unique relationship, and he could have an opportunity for him to pursue a return to the Crimson Tide to replace his former boss.

Kiffin is in the midst of a highly successful run at Ole Miss and credits Saban with saving his coaching career, leading to an opportunity at Florida Atlantic before heading to Ole Miss. The Rebels won 11 games this past season for the first time in program history, and they have a 34-15 record under Kiffin’s watch over the last four years.

Dabo Swinney, Clemson head coach

Before he was a national championship-winning coach at Clemson, Dabo Swinney was a walk-on at Alabama and eventually earned a scholarship. Throughout the years, his name came up as one to watch if Saban ever stepped away, and that day has finally come.

Swinney took over as Clemson head coach in the interim in 2008 after Tommy Bowden’s departure, and he assumed the full-time duties in 2009. In his 16 seasons at the helm, Swinney has a 170-43 overall record and two national championships in that time — both of which came over Alabama.

Dan Lanning, Oregon head coach

Dan Lanning is part of Saban’s iconic coaching tree, serving as a graduate assistant at Alabama in 2015. He also had an opportunity to return to Tuscaloosa, as Saban said recently, but had already taken a job on Kirby Smart’s staff at Georgia that kept him from doing so.

Lanning is off to an impressive start to his head coaching career, amassing a 22-5 record over two years at Oregon. He’s also seen success on the recruiting trail at both the high school level and with the transfer portal, and that adds to his case to replace Saban at Alabama.

Kalen DeBoer, Washington head coach

In just his second year at Washington, Kalen DeBoer took the Huskies to a national championship game. That also marked his third loss in that time as he turned the program around quickly after a 4-8 record under former coach Jimmy Lake.

DeBoer doesn’t have a connection to SEC Country, spending much of his career on the West Coast. But his ability to flip the script in Seattle so quickly makes him an intriguing name to monitor for any job, and he could be a candidate to replace Saban.

Mike Norvell, Florida State head coach

The last two seasons marked an incredible turnaround for Mike Norvell at Florida State. The Seminoles went from a 5-7 record in 2021 to a 10-3 mark in 2022 to a 13-1 record in 2023 as Norvell took the program back to the national stage.

FSU had major success on the recruiting trail, both at the high school level and with the transfer portal. Norvell doesn’t have a connection to Saban or Alabama, but the job he’s done at Florida State still landed him a spot on ESPN’s Hot Board.

Steve Sarkisian, Texas head coach

Steve Sarkisian garnered rave reviews for the job he did as Alabama’s offensive coordinator, and it helped him land at Texas. His rebuild in Austin has gone well, culminating in a College Football Playoff appearance this past season.

Sarkisian initially joined Nick Saban’s staff as an analyst in 2016, but after two years with the Atlanta Falcons, returned as offensive coordinator after Lane Kiffin’s departure. While it’s yet to be seen if he’d leave Texas after going through the hard part of a rebuild, the connection is evident if the Crimson Tide decide to pursue Sarkisian’s services.

James Franklin, Penn State head coach

Before he took over at Penn State and took the Nittany Lions back to prominence, James Franklin spent three seasons in the SEC from 2011-13. He was the head coach at Vanderbilt during that time, and his name has come up for multiple high-profile jobs over the last few years.

Under Franklin’s watch, Penn State has won 10 games five times, including a 10-3 record in 2023. The Nittany Lions haven’t been able to break through in a crowded Big Ten East with Michigan and Ohio State, but his ability to take the program to its current height after Bill O’Brien’s departure is still impressive.

It’s still unclear what could be next in Alabama’s coaching search to replace Nick Saban, but the Hot Boards continue to roll out in the early going. The Crimson Tide are entering a new era, and someone will have to fill the shoes of the GOAT when all is said and done.