Paul Finebaum, the SEC Network commentator, predicted several successors who could take over for Nick Saban in the near future, per Awful Announcing.

Finebaum gave a timetable for who could replace Saban over the span of the next 3 years. He pointed out that new candidates could be in play to take over for Saban based on the year. In an interview with Awful Announcing, Finebaum mentioned several candidates for when Saban leaves Alabama:

“That’s probably the most difficult question I could possibly be asked. If it happens in the next 2 to 3 years, I would keep my eyes on Mario Cristobal, Billy Napier, and Dave Aranda. Those are three candidates that would be worth paying close attention to. … If something happened right now, Bill O’Brien would be the most serious candidate, the offensive coordinator. He’s got head-coaching experience,” Finebaum said.

O’Brien would be the only current in-house coaching candidate to replace Saban, per Finebaum’s list. Napier, the current coach for the Florida Gators, and Cristobal, who coaches the Miami Hurricanes, had previous coaching experience on Saban’s Alabama staffs. Aranda was the only coach without a previous tenure working for Saban at Alabama.

Saban turns 71 years old in October. He enters his 16th season with the Crimson Tide.