January 11th, 2024 at 10:42 AM ^
Su'a Cravens gave him some bad advice.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:46 AM ^
Geez that guy was huge.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:44 AM ^
We’d be remiss to NOT scout and kick the tires on Alabama’s players.
January 11th, 2024 at 1:10 PM ^
Unfortunately we pretty much have a lame duck coaching staff right now. No one of substance is going to pick us until Harbaugh makes a decision.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:45 AM ^
OSU thinking they can land Caleb Downs.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:51 AM ^
He appears interested. They were in on his initial recruitment and I guess he's followed some of their players and coaches on social media already.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:06 AM ^
Ugh
He is fantastic
January 11th, 2024 at 11:09 AM ^
OSU reporters are literally openly admitting OSU is tampering with him rn
January 11th, 2024 at 11:20 AM ^
sounds like a player safety issue to me
January 11th, 2024 at 11:46 AM ^
WORST SCANDAL IN HISTORY OMG IS THIS WHY [INSERT RANDOM PLAYER ACROSS THE COUNTRY] GOT HURT???
January 11th, 2024 at 1:05 PM ^
Won’t somebody please think of the children!!
January 11th, 2024 at 11:37 AM ^
But are they buying him burgers?
January 11th, 2024 at 1:03 PM ^
Uncooked burgers are not a violation (the NCAAholes like steak tartare).
January 11th, 2024 at 1:49 PM ^
What about the cheese? Cream cheese is a violation on a bagel; is American cheese ok because it isn't technically cheese?
January 11th, 2024 at 11:12 AM ^
If I'm Caleb Downs I don't make any moves or talk to anyone until Alabama hires its next coach.
If they go out and hire Dan Lanning, for example, I don't know why I'd want to go play for anyone else, given what he accomplished with defenses at Georgia.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:34 AM ^
I'd want to play in Minter's defense if I were him.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:46 AM ^
Supposedly the buyout for Lanning makes it next to impossible for him to be Alabama's new coach.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:56 AM ^
I might have read than Lanning's buyout was $20M.
Now - that's definitely a chunk of money - not quite a Texas A&M Jimbo buyout - but, it seems the Bama faithful would reach that far if they felt he was the right coach. I'm sure they have an NIL fund that generates close to that much already.
Where else will they look?
I heard Sarkisian said "no" - he's content at Texas. Which leads to DeBoer.
The other names "out there" - Kirby Smart isn't leaving Georgia. Dabo Swinney has been struggling with NIL and portal - as well as on the field performance. Lane Kiffin - not sure what "graces" he left Tuscaloosa with.
The names on their Wish List - could be very interesting. Brian Kelly? Tommy Rees?
January 11th, 2024 at 12:06 PM ^
Alabama has a chance to do the funniest thing. Go grab Jonathan Smith from MSU.
January 11th, 2024 at 12:13 PM ^
I kind of hope some team hires Urban just piss off state fans (and so we can beat him).
January 11th, 2024 at 1:56 PM ^
I hear Mel Tucker and Pat Fitzgerald are looking for jobs. And Jimbo Fischer... well, he's not exactly looking.
On a more serious note, I'll be watching the carousel to see where Chris Partridge and (Illinois analyst) Jim Leonhard land. I'd expect both could wind up as coordinators.
January 11th, 2024 at 2:39 PM ^
If that happens it would be the second former MSU coach this century. Hopefully the results would not be as good the second time around.
January 11th, 2024 at 12:23 PM ^
Well OBVIOUSLY it'll be Carroll or Bellechick. Or Harbaugh. Or the other Harbaugh (not Jack) (but maybe?). 'Cause, Bama.
January 11th, 2024 at 12:45 PM ^
Oregon in the B1G is a better job than Alabama.
Yes, I said it.
That Alabama job was SHIT before Saban, they had to beg him to come.
Oregon will pay him whatever Bama pays him. Oregon will NIL just as good as Bama. Oregon has Phil Knight. Oregon doesn't have the ghost of Nick Saban. Oregon is in a P2 conference with every chance in the world to win a national championship. Oregon can tap into California.
Oregon, you're not going to have to deal with Jimbo the Plumber yelling at you on the radio show on a Tuesday after you won by 3 scores because you called a fire blitz and gave up a slant and go for 20 yards in a drive that ended in a punt.
Oregon is a better job than Alabama.
January 11th, 2024 at 12:54 PM ^
And for the record, Texas is a MUCH better job than Alabama.
If Lanning or Sark left their current jobs, they are fools.
I think Bama is going to have to settle on trying to sell the nostalgia of Dabo "coming home."
I think they get turned down by the big dogs...and Dabo is over Clemson, so he's going to be the best of the rest.
The National Championship was just Michigan vs. Washington. You don't have to be at Alabama to win. Alabama was about Saban...not about the university. Without Saban, they're just Auburn or Tennessee.
January 11th, 2024 at 1:23 PM ^
I wouldn't be so sure about Dabo. Living here in SC and surrounded by Clemson fans, they were terrified of this scenario a few years ago but are not now. Reasons -- Dabo has become deeply embedded at Clemson, which is now his program, and the guy won't use the transfer portal and fights against NIL. He's going to coach at Bama? Yes, Dabo is ticked right now that the fan base harrassed him, but they have showered him with love since the notorious radio call with Tyler from Spartanburg. So it's possible given his deep roots in Bama. But I too don't think it's likely.
January 11th, 2024 at 1:01 PM ^
Job quality dramatically varies based on when you're looking. The facilities are probably the same, the existing program infrastructure is better at Alabama, the recruiting base is better at Alabama, and competition is probably a wash now.
Florida is not a great situation right now, but the right person can win huge. I don't know Oregon can get to that level.
I think Saban has struggled with NIL and probably has too many failed head coaches working for him instead of up and coming folks. Struggle is relative and they're still really good, but they aren't the buzzsaw from 10 years ago.
I also think Oregon gets whooped by Michigan and Ohio State this year. Alabama wasn't quite at Michigan's level, but a lot closer than anyone in the PAC12.
January 11th, 2024 at 1:01 PM ^
Warde Manuel: “what’s a buyout?”
January 11th, 2024 at 1:50 PM ^
lanning is in tuscaloosa today
January 11th, 2024 at 11:35 AM ^
That would be very annoying because he is GOOD
January 11th, 2024 at 10:45 AM ^
I'm sure there's buyer's remorse on his part, which means he'll switch to Georgia or Ole Miss or LSU or TA&M or some other place that will pay him up front.
January 11th, 2024 at 12:02 PM ^
Can't forget about the U, Don.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:46 AM ^
There's going to be an interesting spring portal season when the post-Saban coaching fall out is fleshed out. Someone is going there and leaving a strong program without a coach. Dominos may fall in such a way that many recruits and portal guys will be available who aren't right now. Unfortunately for right now, we don't know if we'll be one of the schools looking for a coach and losing players too.
Should be a wild spring!
January 11th, 2024 at 10:49 AM ^
I never considered that.
That's a very good point.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:51 AM ^
Domanis may fall in such a way
FIFY
January 11th, 2024 at 10:46 AM ^
Can he still back out? I do not know how that works with the transfer portal and once you "commit". Assume as long as he has not signed anything, he is still able to change his mind.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:00 AM ^
I believe anyone can transfer once the head coach quits
January 11th, 2024 at 11:04 AM ^
30 day window that started yesterday
January 11th, 2024 at 11:43 AM ^
Honest question, does he have to give all that money back?
January 11th, 2024 at 11:55 AM ^
Why would he? NIL can't be contractural because pay-for-play is still at least nominally illegal. Nothing would destroy that facade faster than someone demanding a player return their up-front money.
That's also the biggest reason why schools should resist paying up-front IMO - you can get burned so easily. Some OSU booster paid Quinn Ewers some major money when he rode the bench as a redshirt, then he bounced to Texas and took that money with him. OSU never even had him take a snap.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:48 AM ^
Don't let him see next week's temperatures in A2. Reports are that Dan Lanning is in Tuscaloosa right now. This is going to be a mess.
January 11th, 2024 at 10:54 AM ^
So, Dante Moore might also be experiencing Seller's Remorse?
January 11th, 2024 at 12:51 PM ^
so named because of what Peter felt after Revenge of the Pink Panther
January 11th, 2024 at 10:56 AM ^
Lanning makes the most sense as the #1 target for Bama.
Lanning was a GA at Bama under Saban in 2015. And was the DC under Smart at Georgia before becoming the head coach at Oregon.
I believe that ESPN had him on prior to the NC game on Monday evening to share his perspectives about Washington. That was not a perspective that I saw / listened to.
He's young, energetic, and knows the SEC. It would be a surprise if he didn't accept Bama's offer.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:00 AM ^
and Alabama is gonna move fast with any hire they make.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:01 AM ^
It makes all the sense in the world for Alabama, but does it for Lanning? Following in the footsteps of Saban who was underfire just this year for 1 loss.... seems like an impossible task. Meanwhile, Oregon looks primed to have a nice Georgia-of-the-west type of run.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:08 AM ^
Yep
He is a young guy. I'd let someone else be the fall guy the next 4 years and then take over from there. Then again with the money cannon there it would be difficult to fail. But they expect NCs every other year not just making playoffs.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:13 AM ^
"Does it for Lanning?" is a great question. He has the Phil Knight / Nike money cannon behind him in Eugene - and, the Duck faithful definitely seem to be pleased with his success.
This will be entertaining to follow.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:52 AM ^
He's got fantastic job security in Oregon. If he's ok with jeopardizing that for a better (though not A LOT better) shot at a natty, he will leave. Oregon is close to being a contender.
January 11th, 2024 at 11:52 AM ^
It seems like Oregon coaches get poached frequently though?