Former Ohio State HC Urban Meyer weighs in on Nick Saban coaching return rumors, and makes an interesting prediction
Unless you are living under a rock, you know that former Alabama head coach Nick Saban has been heavily in the news this week. It started when former Crimson Tide quarterback Greg McElroy, who played under Saban, opened up about the possibility for Coach Saban to return to the coaching ranks during SEC Media Days […]
Unless you are living under a rock, you know that former Alabama head coach Nick Saban has been heavily in the news this week. It started when former Crimson Tide quarterback Greg McElroy, who played under Saban, opened up about the possibility for Coach Saban to return to the coaching ranks during SEC Media Days this week.
Coach Saban has been open in the past about missing coaching football, but has never spoken public about being open to returning to the ranks since leaving the game. We will wait for an official statement from Saban to see how legitimate that interest is, but several notable football figures have spoken about the possibility the last few days.
That includes former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer, who spoke with Colin Cowherd about Coach Saban, and a potential return. Meyer had an interesting perspective, with a prediction we hadn’t heard yet.
"I would say very little to no chance [Nick Saban] would get involved in college. But I think he would take phone calls from the NFL."
A potential return to the NFL would be an interesting move for a 73-year old Saban. He has obviously built his reputation on the college ranks.
During his 17 years in Tuscaloosa, Coach Saban managed to put together a 206-29 overall record. That followed previous stops at Toledo, Michigan State, LSU, and the Miami Dolphins, which would add about 91 victories to his college resume.
Coach Saban has managed to win seven national championships, including six at Alabama, and one at LSU. He has managed to coach 45 All-Americans during his coaching career, while being named the SEC Coach of the Year five different times. Saban also carries a 19-12 record in bowl games during his career as well.
The lone blemish on Saban’s career was his brief spot in the NFL with the Dolphins. After going 9-7 in his first year with the team in 2005, Miami limped to a 6-10 record in his second year. Saban lasted just two years on the professional level before eventually returning to college.
That experience would suggest that returning to college would probably be the best decision for Saban. With how much of a competitor Coach Saban is, however, it wouldn’t be overly shocking to see him want to check the last box on his coaching resume.
Meyer obviously has a relationship with Saban, so one would wonder if there might be some insider knowledge here. Only time will tell whether these rumors are legitimate or not. It does appear the possibility is at least on the table.
