Chip Kelly Nominates Saban for Commissioner: Roll Call, January 19, 2025

With all of the changes in college football (as well as collegiate athletics in general), it's no surprise that veteran coaches are taking the time to weigh in on what forms they believe responses to such changes should take.

Add to that list one Chip Kelly, who's currently the offensive coordinator for Ohio State after multiple stints as head coach at the highest levels of football (including two NFL stops during the 2010s). Ahead of the Buckeyes' national title test against Notre Dame on Jan. 20, Kelly, who appeared in two national championship games as Oregon's head coach, threw around some names he thought could serve as a hypothetical college football commissioner on Saturday.

One such name was legendary former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Kelly also named David Shaw, his previous longtime rival at Stanford who recently interviewed for the Chicago Bears' vacancy, as well as former Boise State and Washington coach Chris Petersen and former Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith.

Today's Crimson Tide Schedule:

Women's basketball: at Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark. (4 p.m. CT). Watch Listen

Crimson Tide Results:

Men's basketball: defeated No. 8 Kentucky 102-97 in Lexington, Ky.

Men's tennis: defeated Georgia Tech and Alabama State in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Track and field: finished Samford Invitational with 14 event titles, four on Saturday.

Did You Notice?

The Detroit Lions were eliminated from the NFL Playoffs by the Washington Commanders on Saturday night. That, however, did not stop former Alabama tailback Jahmyr Gibbs from having a day. He's proven himself more than worth the high draft pick previously used on him.

JAMESON WILLIAMS. THIS GAME IS OFF THE RAILS.

📺: #WASvsDET on FOX
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/k3NjfxDSCY
— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2025

Star edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. also got in on the playoff fun, even though his Houston Texans lost at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Texans' quest to appear in the franchise's inaugural AFC title game will have to wait at least another year.

THE TERMINATOR WITH THE SACK 🦾

📺: ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/nYezJQ83CM
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 18, 2025

The Massachusetts Pirates, who play in the Indoor Football League, announced Saturday that the team has signed former Alabama defensive lineman D.J. Dale. Dale was previously an offseason member of the Buffalo Bills back in 2023, but failed to make the final roster.

We don't give a piss about nothing but the Tide 🐘 @djdale94 | @AlabamaFTBL https://t.co/B1rpojbLFL
— Massachusetts Pirates (@mass_pirates) January 18, 2025

On This Day in Crimson Tide History:

January 19, 1945: Alabama star player Harry Gilmer, who was not registered at the Capstone for the quarter, told the Crimson White that he might return to play for the Crimson Tide in the fall. With World War II still being fought, he was working in a war plant in the Magic City. – Bryant Museum

January 19, 2013: Alabama celebrated its third BCS National Championship in four years with a parade down University Boulevard and speeches on the steps of Bryant-Denny Stadium. No one knew it at the time, but it was Mal Moore's final public speech as Alabama's athletic director.

Crimson Tide Quote of the Day:

"I don't know what else can be said about Coach Saban that hasn't already been said or written. He is the best coach, in my opinion, in the United States. Thank God he's on our side."
Mal Moore in 2013

We'll Leave You with This:

This pic 👀 pic.twitter.com/JmfUyeSXiz
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 19, 2025