One of the nation’s top college football coaches is reportedly the front-runner to replace the legendary Nick Saban at Alabama.
In a stunner, it was reported on Wednesday afternoon that the 72-year-old Saban is retiring from coaching. The football icon leaves the school with 206 career wins and six national championship banners.
According to Brett McMurphy of the Action Network, Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning is “expected to be” the No. 1 target for Alabama to replace Saban.
Alabama was the nation’s top football college program under Saban during his 17-year run (2007 to 2023) with the school. Assuming they don’t hire somebody in-house, the Crimson Tide will most certainly want an experienced and accomplished head coach to replace Saban.
Lanning certainly fits the bill there, having gone 22-5-0 over his first two seasons at Oregon. He led the Ducks to Holiday Bowl and Fiesta Bowl victories in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
The 37-year-old was on Saban’s coaching staff in 2015, serving as a graduate assistant. That year, the Crimson Tide defeated Clemson 45-40 in the national championship game.
