CBS analyst floats Nick Saban for LSU job vacancy

It was just last week that Nick Saban — once again — dismissed the idea of making a return to coaching.

But that was also before the program he won his first national championship with found itself with a vacancy.

After LSU dismissed Brian Kelly following the Tigers’ 49-25 loss to Texas A&M over the weekend, it was only a matter of time until somebody suggested that Saban make his return to Baton Rouge. And that’s exactly what CBS Sports’ Bryant McFadden did on Sunday, publicly floating the 7-time national champion as LSU’s next potential head coach.

“When I said big fish hunting, this ain’t a fish, this is a whale — this is like a big whale,” McFadden said. “When you make this move for LSU, you’ve gotta be willing to pay top dollar. Nick Saban, in my opinion, would be the name that, in terms of recruits, in terms of prospects, you instantly drop everything and you hear him out because of his legacy.”

Nick Saban ➡️ LSU??🤔@BMac_SportsTalk discusses potential candidates for the LSU head coaching job pic.twitter.com/GYJa3gs3v5

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) October 27, 2025

The former Florida State cornerback proceeded to note Saban’s recent comments, in which the now-ESPN analyst stated that he’s perfectly content no longer coaching since retiring from Alabama following the 2023 season. McFadden, however, also noticed that the former Crimson Tide coach referenced keeping the current coaches’ salaries away from his wife, something he believes could at least open the door for a conversation with LSU, where he previously served as the program’s head coach from 2000-2005.

“I understand he said he is enjoying what he is doing now. It’s a great job,” McFadden said. “But he also said he does not want his wife, Miss Terry, to hear any of these numbers that potential opportunities might throw out. Because when she hears these numbers, she’s like, ‘oh yeah, we’ve got to go get the bag.’ And she also know, ‘man, you still got it.’

“If you know anything about relationships, us as men, our homeboys can tell us one thing, our family members can tell us one thing. But when the old lady tell you something and she’s like, ‘you better go get that bread,’ go get the bread. LSU, in terms of big whale-hunting, that is a name I would consider as well. Because you’ve got to find a way to bring a guy in that you know will put you in position to win championships when you make these kind of firings.”

McFadden isn’t wrong that Saban is the type of “whale” that LSU would surely love to land as it looks to reestablish its status as a national power. And while making such a move will likely prove easier said than done, these type of rumors likely aren’t going to be dying down anytime soon.