Nick Saban coming to Indianapolis is a pretty ridiculous proposition, but that’s why it’s called a “wish list”. However, there are some compelling reasons for Saban to consider a return to the NFL.
Résumé
If you’re a football fan, you’re probably pretty familiar with Nick Saban’s success at LSU and Alabama, but let’s take a look at what Saban has accomplished in the NFL.
Saban was a defensive backs coach for the Houston Oilers, then spent one season as the head coach at Toledo, and then joined Bill Belichick’s staff as the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns in 1991.
The Browns made the playoffs in Saban’s final season with the Browns before he accepted the head coaching job at Michigan State.
Saban’s brief stint as the Dolphins’ head coach in the mid-2000’s will live in infamy, but he managed to go 9-7 in 2005 with Gus Frerotte as his leading passer. After Miami couldn’t get Drew Brees in a Dolphins uniform, Saban decided he should go back to college and the rest is history.
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Why Would Saban Leave Alabama?
In college football Alabama will almost always have better players than their opponent due to Saban’s dominance in recruiting, but the balance in power in the NFL makes it the ultimate test for any football coach.
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Saban may be content to go down as possibly the greatest coach in college football history, or he could decide to give the NFL one more shot and compete against his buddy Bill Belichick.
Saban is only a month older than Pete Carroll, so he still has some time to win at the highest level if he so chooses.
This would’ve been more realistic a few years ago when the Colts had a healthy franchise quarterback in Andrew Luck, but Jim Irsay decided to give Chuck Pagano a contract extension and we’ve all seen how that turned out.
If the Colts could convince Nick Saban that Luck will be fully healthy for 2018, that would make Indianapolis the most attractive NFL head coach opening, and they may have a 5% chance of luring him away from Alabama.
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There’s no doubt that this is a long shot, but it’s fun to dream about Saban roaming the sidelines in Indianapolis.