College football’s coaching carousel typically, though briefly, surges again when the offseason begins, but Nick Saban’s retirement from Alabama created a different type of ripple effect. The iconic coach orchestrated a 17-year run that by all accounts represents a dynasty with six national championships and nine SEC titles. He is, without much hesitation, the greatest college football coach ever, and his departure appears to be having a profound effect on the coaching landscape.
Washington’s Kalen DeBoer was hired to replace Saban, and though he’s not a natural geographical fit DeBoer has been a proven winner capable of being the type of national championship-caliber leader the Crimson Tide still desire. That led to a ripple effect with Arizona’s Jedd Fisch being named Washington’s new coach.
And Michigan, though still coached by Jim Harbaugh, remains a storyline to watch. UM’s reported $125 million offer is on the table, but Harbaugh’s future is undecided even amid the Wolverines’ first national championship run since 1997. The lure of the NFL is there, as it usually is for Harbaugh around this time. But with Harbaugh, you never really know.
As the process picks back up, here’s a look at the coaching carousel as it continues to spin. Grades will eventually be added once coaches begin to fill these vacancies.
