Alabama Crimson Tide: Replacing Nick Saban when the day comes
By Jeremy Grace
A couple of former Alabama Crimson Tide coaches lead the list
Lane Kiffin
If the Alabama Crimson Tide reach out to former Nick Saban assistant coaches, Lane Kiffin could be getting a call. Currently the head coach at Ole Miss, Kiffin has a head coaching record of 62-37 in college. He did really well as the offensive coordinator at Alabama as the Crimson Tide would win a National Championship in 2015 while he was on staff. He spent time at Florida Atlantic helping the Owls win two Conference USA titles as the head coach. If he decides to come back after a few seasons as the Ole Miss Rebels head coach, Alabama could choose to hire Lane Kiffin to replace Coach Saban.
Mario Cristobal
The Alabama Crimson Tide could very well give a call to former assistant head coach, offensive line coach, and recruiting coordinator Mario Cristobal. Currently, he’s the Oregon Ducks head coach, where he’s had success with a record of 21-7. Overall his coaching record is 48-54, but he’s got a lot of potential especially with a year or two more of success at Oregon like he’s had. Cristobal is an excellent recruiter finishing number one in the nation at Alabama in each of his four seasons there. He was also named Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2019 after he led the Ducks to a 12-2 record. This candidate may be a real contender for the Alabama Crimson Tide head coaching position whenever Coach Saban steps away.
Bronco Mendenhall
For the Alabama Crimson Tide to go after current Virginia Cavaliers head coach Bronco Mendenhall, might be a stretch. His overall coaching record is 125-74, but currently, he’s 26-31 at Virginia. In 2019 he took the Cavaliers to an ACC Coastal Division title, a 9-3 regular-season record, and an Orange Bowl berth. Before he was at Virginia, Mendenhall was the head coach at BYU where he won 99 games and took the Cougars to eleven bowl births. He could take the next step in his coaching career if the Alabama Crimson Tide decide to give him a call and he could coach in an even tougher conference the SEC.