On Wednesday afternoon, a piece of news shocked the college football world. First reported by ESPN’s Chris Low, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is retiring from the post that he’d occupied for 17 seasons. During his tenure with the Crimson Tide, Saban won seven national championships, coached four Heisman Trophy winners and garnered a reputation as the greatest NCAA football coach of all time. So who replaces him?

Alabama has the money to do whatever it wants, even in an era where many coaches have expensive buyout clauses. Following up Saban in Tuscaloosa is an unenviable task, but the opportunity to helm the Crimson Tide is appealing, especially for a group of coaches who draw their roots from the South.

Early on, the top contender that has emerged is Oregon head coach Dan Lanning. Lanning, who just completed a 12-2 season with the Ducks, was born in Missouri, where he attended college. He was a graduate assistant at Alabama in 2015, before becoming the defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs. Oregon’s man undoubtedly has ties to the SEC — beyond Alabama being an attractive job, it would be a homecoming of sorts.

A head coach being lured away is a sensitive topic for Oregon fans, after Mario Cristobal left Eugene for Miami in 2022. However, Lanning has repeatedly emphasized that he’s dedicated to Oregon. After rumors of a departure for Texas A&M emerged in November 2023, he shut down any questions in a press conference, telling GoDucks, “I’m not going anywhere. There’s zero chance that I would be coaching somewhere else. I’ve got unfinished business here; there’s a lot that I want to accomplish here at Oregon. My No. 1 priority is being elite here at Oregon and we have the resources, the tools – anybody that can’t understand why you would want to be here at this place does not understand exactly what exists here.” 

In a Fiesta Bowl media session, he told the Oregonian/Oregon Live’s James Crepea, “This will be my last job, as far as I’m concerned”. 

But, that was before a powerhouse like Alabama had an opening. Lanning’s buyout currently sits at $20 million and he’s signed multiple extensions with the Ducks since taking over the helm in 2022. There’s reason to believe in both sides of the debate: does Lanning stay or go?

Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the immediate future of football in Eugene could come down to decisions made in Tuscaloosa.