Alabama's Nick Saban has retired. Should Clemson be concerned?
The college football world felt its foundations shake on Wednesday afternoon as reports surfaced that Alabama's Nick Saban had informed his team that he is retiring. Chris Low of ESPN first reported the news.
During his tenure at Alabama, Saban led his team to six national championships and turned the program into the standard all others were measured against. So who could Alabama turn to to replace the 72-year-old Saban? A former player has led another program to a couple of their own national titles.
Dabo Swinney and Nick Saban embrace ahead of the College Football Playoff National Championship
Birmingham native Dabo Swinney, who played receiver for Alabama from 1990-1992, has to be a name to watch in this search. Not only did he play for the school but he also coached there from 1993-2000.
Outside of Georgia's Kirby Smart, no active coach has as many national titles (2) as Swinney, and he would bring the kind of pedigree the program feels it demands. Swinney is scheduled to make $11 million in 2024. Alabama could easily match that, especially with the SEC's new deal with ESPN kicking in this coming season.
For those wondering if Clemson was worried about such a scenario, all we have to do is look at the language of Dabo's most recent contract extension with the school. The document includes an "Alabama clause" that includes a higher buyout than any other scenario in which Swinney would leave. The following is an excerpt from our story on Swinney's extension in 2022:
There are three clauses in the contract should Swinney leave Clemson on his own. There is an Alabama clause, a clause for any other university he might go to and an NFL clause.
If Swinney leaves Clemson for Alabama after the 2022 season, he would owe Clemson $9 million. In 2023 and 2024, it drops to $7.5 million, $6 million in 2025, $4.5 million in 2026 and 2027, $3 million in 2028 and 2029 and $1.5 million in 2030.
It would be a massive but not shocking move for Swinney who has come under scrutiny after his team has failed to reach the College Football Playoff the past three seasons. A fresh start at home and a pay raise would be enough to lure a lot of people away.
