Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Pat Forde and Richard Johnson

Eight Potential Candidates to Take Over for Nick Saban at Alabama

Replacing a legendary coach is one of the most difficult tasks in college sports, but someone has to do it. Someone came after John Wooden. Someone came after Bear Bryant. Someone came after Mike Krzyzewski. And now someone will come after Nick Saban at Alabama.

Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne might not have known exactly when this moment was coming, but he assuredly will not be caught flat-footed. At age 72, Saban clearly had been in his twilight for several seasons, so Byrne had a fluid pocket list of candidates going at all times.

The good news: the next coach of the Crimson Tide inherits a blueblood program in fantastic shape. The bad news: it’s impossible to win at the level Saban did for as long as he did in Tuscaloosa.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.