Former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban has cut a niche for himself as one of the most insightful analysts on ESPN’s College GameDay show after retiring from the sport in Jan. 2024. Despite being out of the game for over two seasons, Saban is still upheld as the standard for most coaches in college football.
Why Does Kirk Herbsteit Link Nick Saban to CFB Honcho Job?
The seven-time national champion has repeatedly denied any links to other jobs, but one role he has been linked to refuses to go away.
During Thursday’s segment of the “Dan Patrick Show,” analyst Kirk Herbstreit floated the idea of Saban being appointed as college football’s commissioner to address the sport’s current chaotic landscape.
“I love the idea ’cause I feel like we’re still legislating the sport as if it were still the 1980s or it’s a regional sport,” Herbstreit said. “Now it’s all about the CFP. Yet, we are governing this sport with conference commissioners that are worried about their constituents and their region. No one’s looking at the entire country.
“My only hope is Nick Saban and people can say he’s got an Alabama twist. If you really know Saban, he has a college football twist. He cares about the players, he cares about the sport. Him being involved with Congress and the President. He’s got a lot of people’s ears and I think he has good intentions. I’m hopeful that he’ll be able to help out.”
College football has changed rapidly since the free transfer of players was allowed, colliding with the NIL era, leading to players suing the NCAA for extra eligibility and others breaking their contracts to transfer for more compensation, creating a legal quagmire for both programs and the authorities.
Analyst Warns Against NFL Interference in College Football
During his annual Super Bowl news conference, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell offered the league’s assistance to help college football deal with the governance of the game in a rapidly changing landscape that seems to have bamboozled the authorities so far.
During Wednesday’s segment of the “Always College Football” show, analyst Greg McElroy warned college football about allowing the NFL’s intervention in its affairs despite the current chaos plaguing the sport.
“I don’t know about you, but when the most powerful man in professional sports starts eyeing our lane, I don’t necessarily see an olive branch being extended,” McElroy said. “I see the possibility of a hostile takeover.
“They want to protect the NFL’s bottom line; I don’t think they’re overwhelmingly concerned about the health of the college game.”
While there is a College Sports Commission in place to oversee the revenue-sharing agreement between programs and student-athletes and to ensure that all NIL agreements are above board, the issues plaguing the sport have persisted unabated.
