TL;DR
- Nick Saban is concerned about college football's coaching disarray and player welfare.
- Saban believes the NCAA should align the academic and football calendars.
- He also suggested abolishing early signing day due to its counterproductive nature.
- Saban's ideas could impact coaching hires, transfer portal windows, and player decisions.
Nick Saban, the former head coach for Alabama, doesn't approve of the current disarray in college football coaching. During Saturday's ESPN College Football Gameday broadcast, Saban expressed his worries regarding the players.
He feels the players are being overlooked amidst the coaching speculation. These dates and windows also appear to be arbitrary.
"Everybody should be thinking about the players," Saban said. "Players should be able to play for their coach for the entire season. Players shouldn't be penalized if a coach leaves, because the committee has the opportunity, if a player or coach doesn't participate, they can sink you in the rankings."
Saban also hinted at a one-line idea that should be considered for most aspects that affect the football vs academic schedule. Saban said, “The NCAA should match the academic calendar with the football calendar”. Saban brings up an interesting point. One that works for coaching hires as well as the transfer portal window.
With James Franklin now coaching Virginia Tech, college football presently features eleven head coaching openings. Lane Kiffin's name is frequently linked to nearly every available position. Much of the online discussion centers on Ole Miss, LSU, or Florida.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss gave Saban’s take showed some spirit when he backed his coach, despite ongoing speculation about him departing for a different team.
According to Bleacher Report, Saban has also proposed that the NCAA ought to abolish early signing day. He further implies that Saban's perspective holds relevance across at least three distinct domains. Aligning the academic and football schedules would benefit coaching appointments, transfer portal openings, and the signing day timeline.
Making those choices before the college football season concludes offers almost no advantage. The constant movement of coaches serves as a diversion. It's detrimental to the sport when players choose to skip bowl games to transfer. Furthermore, early signing day, occurring before the offseason even begins, has consistently appeared to be counterproductive.
More college football news:
- Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
- Ole Miss reportedly gives Lane Kiffin an ultimatum as family visits Florida and LSU
- Virginia Tech reportedly funding roster near top of ACC for James Franklin
- Bill Belichick goes viral for awkward handshake after Wake Forest loss
- Texas state trooper reportedly relieved of duties after player exchange at Texas A&M