Who should Alabama hire to replace OC Brian Daboll? Several coaches with SEC ties being tossed around
If you missed the news, Buffalo has announced the hiring of Brian Daboll as the team’s new offensive coordinator. That means Nick Saban needs to hire his third offensive coordinator in two years time.
The Crimson Tide are loaded with young offensive talent that would likely make the job attractive to just about any candidate. So, of course, the question is, where will Saban go to make the hire?
Despite the head coaching carousel halting, for the time being, there are plenty of coaches with offensive coordinator experience that could be options — including many of which that have SEC experience such as former Arkansas OC Dan Enos.
Here are a few of the suggestions being thrown out there:
Clay Travis wants to know if Saban would consider former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze:
Brian Daboll to Bills as OC. Would Saban hire Hugh Freeze? Interested to see how this could shake out.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 14, 2018
Dave Bartoo of CFB Matrix has an interesting idea, former LSU OC Matt Canada:
If he goes outside his tree, Saban could get Canada with tua. Jezzuz
— Dave Bartoo (@CFBMatrix) January 14, 2018
Cole Cubelic of ESPN offered up a list of his own:
Offensive coordinators looking for work:
Hugh Freeze
Matt Canada
Noel Mazzone
Rod Smith— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) January 14, 2018
However, Bruce Feldman notes that Noel Mazzone is headed to Arizona with Kevin Sumlin:
Mazzone is going with Sumlin to Arizona.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 14, 2018
Here’s another interesting possibility, former Florida coach Jim McElwain:
Jim McElwain is available.
— Marc Weiszer (@marcweiszer) January 14, 2018
Mike Locksley is also being thrown out as a potential promotion candidate:
My early guess for who gets the Alabama OC job: Mike Locksley https://t.co/0PEFhXHTTt
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 14, 2018
Will Saban promote Locksley? https://t.co/dBsG3LRHcp
— Travis Reier (@travisreier) January 14, 2018
If Saban wanted to go to radio row to find an OC, Rick Neuheisel’s name is also being thrown out:
Whoever Saban chooses as OC will be someone with strong history of coaching QBs. Critical in development of both Tua and Hurts. Why not @CoachNeuheisel ? #RollTide
— Matt Hayes (@MattHayesCFB) January 14, 2018
Where do you think Saban and the Tide should turn next?