Rick Neuheisel: Don't rule out Saban to LSU
The inevitable media take surrounding the LSU vacancy has arrived. Someone was going to say it, and that someone is former UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel.
When discussing who will succeed Les Miles at LSU, the CBS college football analyst floated what is seemingly the least likely possibility imaginable: Nick Saban.
Here’s what Neuheisel says about Saban in the interview, and you can listen to it below.
“Years ago, there was a guy coaching at Michigan State that took a look at this job,” Neuheisel said. “He did it through his wife. His wife went down there and looked and took a look around to see how this thing plays itself out before he decided to jump in with both feet. He ended up jumping in and winning a national championship. His name was Nick Saban.
“And just as I suggested that there’s a time your run might end and might be good to look somewhere else … just saying.”
Neuheisel recently made headlines for predicting that Art Briles will be the coach at Auburn next season.
It’s not crazy. Saban has nothing left to prove at Bama. It would depend on Saban having the fire to start over from scratch again. What he has done at Bama would be nearly impossible to replicate.
You keep on wishing…
“It’s not crazy”
Yes it is. Saban has made himself one of the greatest coaches in Alabama. He’ll retire at Alabama, and he’ll be a legend for the rest of our history.
Not to mention, his entire life is in Alabama. He’s 64, he’s not just gonna pack up and move somewhere anymore.
I seriously doubt he’s coming back to LSU, but his entire life is not in Alabama. He spends as much time as he can at his lake home in GA. That won’t change no matter where he goes.
I seriously doubt he would leave Bama but Saban is a different breed. He left a great situation at LSU to go to Miami. The best college coaches win everywhere they go and like the challenge of building something. Alabama is a finished product in that it is as close to perfect as a football program has been. If Saban doesn’t feel challenged, that would be the only reason I could see him making a change but Indont see that happening.
If he really wants to prove himself, why not take the job at his alma mater, Kent State? He’s already got all the money he could possibly want from his years at Alabama, and trying to turn Kent State into a relevant team would be a true test of his abilities.
He’s probably as likely to go to KS as LSU…
It’s not about proving anything. You people will never get it.
Rick Newhousel is nothing more than a jealous fan. He was never a good coach and he left every program that he touched in trouble with the NCAA.
He is even worse as an “analyst”.
Neuheisal has lost his mind. Nick Saban is bigger than Santa Clause in the state of Alabama and is going nowhere.
He would instantly be as big in Louisiana. A lot of LSU fans still remember the years before Saban took over at LSU and the success they had while he was there. Maybe he has a desire to go back. He’s 64, soon to be 65 so realistically he’s probably only around for 2/3 more years, that’s the bigger issue.
He was bigger than Santa Claus in Louisiana and he left. What’s your point?
Yeah but much more successful in Alabama !!! LMFAO!!! That’s my point!!!
as if he wouldn’t have been just as successful had he stayed at LSU.. LMFAO!!!
His point is, Saban is not going anywhere. Deal with it, America.
LSU fans are delusional. I’m a Tennessee fan and I will tell you LSU simply does not have the storied history that Alabama does. So no I do not think he would have been near as successful had he stayed at LSU. LSU will always be known best for letting Saban get away. They were just a step along Saban’s way but you are simply out of your idiotic minds to believe he would ever return.
“LSU fans” are not saying he would come back. BUT, since you brought it up, he most certainly could have been as successful at LSU, considering the fact that Les did so well…. and would have done more had he not played Saban every year. In a top notch football state, no in-state rival, considered one of the best football experiences… there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t have won as many NC’s in baton rouge. A chunk of his best players at Bama have been from Louisiana anyways! imagine what he could do recruiting them to stay home. The storied history is cool and all, but it doesn’t bring you recruits and it doesn’t win you National Championships. As a Tennessee fan, YOU ought to know that better than anyone else. Simply put, LSU is a top 5 job. Tennessee isn’t. Hard for me to say, since I grew up a Vols fan until I attended LSU, but felt like someone needs to say it. “LSU fans” are not the ones saying he would return, and we’re no more delusional than Tennessee fans.
Foolishness
Saban’s going to retire soon. LSU needs a young coach with major potential, someone who will be around for years. Someone like Tom Herman.
I agree with you. He has nothing to prove at either school. Bring in someone that still has their career ahead of them and is innovative. Of course Saban would be excellent, but I doubt LSU wants to be here again in three or four years.
ditto,, ditto
Probably would to get his daughter away from Kiffin…
OYou are a very si
it’d be real funny if he were to head on down to th Plains… They’re likely to have an opening by the end of the season. lol
Well, after every season some media pundit says Saban’s leaving, so why not here. Didn’t think it’d be 4 weeks into the season. Saban’s isn’t leaving Bama unless it’s to Burton.
Can anyone think of a guy that builds the best company going, has amazing success, and THEN quits it (for no reason at all) to join the rival company that he’s utterly crushed and nearly put out of business?
Didn’t think so. Particularly not when that guy is 64 and probably only has 5 or 6 seasons of coaching left anyway. This is utterly preposterous. 64 is a long long ways from 47. He’s held the Alabama job almost twice as long as he coached at LSU, so LSU certainly isn’t “home” in any sense of the term.
I think it’s a super long shot at best. Saban may enjoy the challenge of building programs, but I don’t think he’ll leave ‘Bama. Not at this point in his career. I know there was quite a bit of talk about Saban going to Texas a few years back, and I was shocked to even hear that. I certainly can’t imagine him leaving. I mean, why would he?
I don’t think he leave Alabama but he has left places were he sayed he never would before and fact he 64 really does not have thing to do with it his mom playes golf she all most hundredth years old , he sayed as long feel good can do job like did when start I keep doing it so we really don’t know how long he could coach and he did say if he wouldn’t never went to NFL he still be at LSU so if there was any place were he was happy as he has been at Alabama it was LSU , but I don’t think he leaves but if bama wins nc this year that be 5 at Alabama one at LSU think how much more he be look at in history if went back one won at LSU and people think LSU is far off from being team could win it all they are QB from being right there so but I think he stay at bama
I have no idea what you said. Buy some punctuation marks!
why you AU fans always picking on Bama graduates?
So you literally just made a troll profile to post like a retarded Alabama fan? Sad…
Saban’s not going to LSU. If he was ever going to leave Bama, it would have been for Texas (bigger state, bigger paycheck, etc). But he’s clearly not leaving Bama until he retires.
Yeah, yeah, he has nothing left to prove, but it’s not about proving anything, is it? It’s about doing what you’re good at.
If I were in my 60s, and I was at a job I was good it, and everything was going well. I wouldn’t just pick up and move to another job where I had to build it up again. Why bring that sort of stress down upon yourself?
And why would LSU want Saban? Saban’s closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Wouldn’t you want a coach who can come in and build a solid foundation and make the team a consistent power year-to-year? You get that by getting a younger coach.
It’ll probably be Herman from Houston that ends up at LSU. And Les Miles will be doing something on ESPN similar to Lee Corso on College Gameday.
These comments about Saban having “nothing left to prove” at Bama are ludicrous. He’s on the cusp of becoming de facto the greatest coach in NCAA history with another NC or two. He has the tools to do that at Bama with the classes he’s brought in the past 5 years. It would be insane to try and replicate that all over again at his age at another school. He coaches another 5 years at the outside – why would LSU want to go that route only to have to start all over again by 2021? The Tigers need someone for the long haul.
And yes, Neuheisel is a dirt-bag ex-coach whose opinions are always suspect.
it is crezzyyy…….
Oh yeah Rick is so close to our program here in ttown… that is so hilarious. Hasn’t left in ten years…let that sink in Saban haters. Maintaining dynasty while cementing status of best college coach ever seems more important than pathetic LSU
All I know is that it feels so good to be an Alabama fan…I mean all you other losers make me laugh. We are the best…ever. So please suck it
Rule it out, and move on.
This guy is as dumb a commentator as he was a football coach
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