Alabama’s opening loss against Florida State on the first day of the season has caused fans and analysts to wonder if Kalen DeBoer is the right fit in Tuscaloosa.
If the Tide decides to go another way, here are five names that are being floated as potential successors, including NFL veteran Jon Gruden.
1. Jon Gruden
Gruden, a Super Bowl-winning NFL coach, has publicly declared that he would love to coach again, specifically in the SEC. DeBoer’s departure could make room for Gruden to achieve his SEC objective.
2. Lane Kiffin
Currently, Kiffin is the head coach at Ole Miss. While it doesn’t appear he is going anywhere, a chance at one of the most prestigious jobs in college sports surely has some allure. He was once Alabama’s Offensive Coordinator and could fill in a lot of the gaps that Alabama has been struggling with.
3. Clark Lea
Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea could be a potential successor to Andre Hughes of Fly War Eagle. Recently, Lea was able to upset Alabama 40-35 and gave the Tide a chance to go with one of the younger, less experienced head coaches in the game.
4. Jimbo Fisher
Whenever there are major coaching opportunities, Jimbo Fisher seems to always be an option. He has a reputation for bringing a good mix of players and being competitive in his tenures at Texas A&M and Florida State. He could be a potential candidate if Alabama went for someone who had proven success.
5. Dabo Swinney
Dabo Swinney is a long shot to leave Clemson, but he is an Alabama alum. The Tigers also lost their opener against LSU and could be in for a wild ride this season, potentially leading to Swinney’s departure back home. He would be another proven winner for the Tide if they were able to lure him away from the Tigers.
Bottom Line
While replacing Kalen DeBoer will be a pretty difficult task, considering he has a $70M buyout, Alabama should have plenty of options to turn to. Fisher and Swinney both have plenty of winning experience, and options like Lea could let the Tide take a chance on a newer coach. Either way, whoever potentially takes over will have the burden of the Tide’s expectations to win and win now.
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