The question isn’t if it’ll happen, but when.

One of the things that University of Alabama coach Nick Saban has to deal with when going to a major event like the College Football Playoff semifinals is fielding questions from different sets of reporters.

For the Sugar Bowl, which will be played Jan. 1 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), it means the New Orleans media, regional media, Ohio State’s media, national media, and scores of reporters who will be looking to score points.

So Saban will be asked about numerous things that he’s already extensively talked about (which also happens every week on the SEC coaches’ media teleconference).

A perfect example was the SEC Championship Game. Among the questions he fielded was about AUB cancelling its football program.

“Where are you from?”

“London, England.”

“Glad to have a little diversity in the group here,” Saban joked and then patiently and methodically answered the question just like he had a few days previous in Tuscaloosa. He diplomatically said that it was a shame for the players, and hated to see them lose their opportunity, but that there are two sides to every issue.

The potential distraction was skillfully avoided.

If you’re wondering why a reporter would ask such a question in that setting there are essentially four possibilities: 1) He had not done his homework, 2) He needed the quote (which is especially true for TV and radio reporters), 3) He was looking for a different answer, 4) He hoped for a reaction that would overshadow everything else.

To his credit, Saban, like many coaches, almost always has a different demeanor when dealing with national media. To go a rant after practice in Tuscaloosa, especially when trying to send a message to his players, is one thing. Besides, recruits are more likely to be watching.

Meanwhile, a question in his wheelhouse is something like this from the same press conference in Atlanta:

Q: “Do you think tackling is not what it was 10, 20 years ago, and if so why?”

A: “I think the whole culture of how you play defense and how you have to practice defense has changed dramatically with the no‑huddle, fast‑ball, speed‑ball approach. I think it’s more difficult to coach defensive players in practice because what do you practice? Do you practice the fundamentals or do you practice the pace of play? Until recently we always emphasized the fundamentals. We didn’t play very well when the pace of play was faster. This year we tried to put more emphasis on pace of play, and I do think there is a bit of a downside in terms of fundamentals.”

Actually, that was about a third of his answer. Being sort of a spokesman for his sport, which happens when one reaches his level of success, Saban will get few questions like that over the next couple of weeks, and even some about Ohio State

But he will be asked about Lane Kiffin, again.

He will be asked about Kirby Smart someday becoming a head coach.

He will be asked about Urban Meyer applying for a job when he was at Toledo.

He will be asked about the playoff committee.

He will be asked about his contact.

He will be asked about Texas last year.

He will be asked if he’d even consider coaching in the NFL again.

Those last two will be despite what he said at SEC Media Days in July:

“I think the University of Texas is a fantastic place, and they’ve got a lot of wonderful people there, it’s a great institution,” Saban said. “But this is about the station in my life where we are. We moved around a lot. If I had to do it over, I’d have just tried to stay in one place and establish a great program, not have all these goals and aspirations of things that eventually, you know, you weren’t happy doing.

“I’m very happy at Alabama. Miss Terry is very happy at Alabama. We certainly enjoy the challenges we have there, the friends we have established here. This is where we just choose to, you know, end our career someday. It wasn’t anything about any other place, it was just about where we are and what we want to try to do with the rest of our career.”

Nevertheless, the NFL regular season wraps up on Sunday, which means by the time Saban holds his final pregame press conference Tuesday a bunch of teams will have fired their head coaches and be looking for replacements.

Moreover, last week NFL Network reporter Albert Breer called the Giants the “gold standard” of coaching jobs and speculated if that Tom Coughlin was to be let go that they might take a shot at Saban. The franchise was supposedly interested in Saban in 1997, before he even went to LSU, but instead hired Jim Fassel.

“I don’t know if he would necessarily leave Alabama, but it’s one of those where it’s such a good job that you almost owe it to yourself to listen,” he said.

This is nothing new. In a recent interview with TigerRag, former LSU athletic director Skip Bertman disclosed that Saban received an offer from an NFL franchise during each of his first four seasons with the Tigers.

It wasn’t until the Miami Dolphins called and Saban asked for complete control of everything from the coaching staff to player personnel, that he finally said yes. Part of that was having itch to scratch, but he also feared that if he said no it might be his last chance.

We all now know that wasn’t remotely close to being true. Within two years, Saban knew he wasn’t made for the NFL, that he prefers coaching at the collegiate level and teaching. He essentially has everything he wants at Alabama, where he’s also on the threshold of coaching history.

Just before Alabama crushed Notre Dame to win the 2012 national title, Smart said he thought Saban wanted to go down as the greatest coach in college football history. Should he win the title this year it’ll be his fifth, and the debates about whether he’s topped Paul W. “Bear” Bryant and if this is the great dynasty in the sport’s history can start in earnest.

Of course, Saban will be asked about those too, but will do everything he can to keep his team’s focus on the task at hand.