Despite an early-season home loss to a pedestrian team (sound familiar?), Nick Saban's Alabama sits at No. 2 in the Playoff Committee rankings.
The Indianapolis Colts, on the other hand, are a meandering 4-5. Colts owner Jim Irsay could be looking to dump head coach Chuck Pagano, and apparently might be willing to part with general manager Ryan Grigson if it meant securing the services of a one Nick Saban.
From stampedeblue.com:
"But I think it comes down to this: Jim Irsay is going to make the next coaching hire. If he brings in a guy who demands full power - like, say, a Nick Saban, who I think he's going to go after - if he brings in a Nick Saban, he's going to have full power and that means that Ryan Grigson will either be kicked to the curb or he'll have a different role in the organization," [said WTHR's Bob Kravitz.] "If he brings in a Pagano-lite, another offensive or defensive coordinator, I think that Grigson stays. So I think it's really a 50/50 proposition at this point."
It doesn't sound like Kravitz is reporting this definitively as something he's heard, but keep this in mind: no matter whether you agree with his opinions or not, Kravitz knows Irsay and knows the Colts better than most people, so if he's speculating that Jim Irsay will make the next head coach hire and could go after Nick Saban, it's noteworthy. Kravitz then continued after being asked a follow-up question regarding Saban.
"Well I think that, you know, look: Jim Irsay is willing to pay the money," Kravitz said. "He's been willing to pay the money on players. I have no question in my mind that he's willing to spend mega-millions on a head coach. Look, if they could give Nick Saban full power - and I fully believe that they are willing to do that - I see no reason why Nick Saban wouldn't, because when you more or less fail at a job, you want so badly to get back in the game. He failed in Miami for various reasons, the biggest one being that he didn't have full power. He wanted Drew Brees and he was told he had to take Dante Culpepper. If he had taken Drew Brees, he might still be in the league. So I think if they could offer him full power, and I think that they would be willing to do that, I could see him coming back in a heartbeat."
Remember now: We brushed off the Nick Saban-to-Texas rumors, but there was some fire to that smoke. And don't forget, "Saban is darting to the NFL" smoke was emanating from Alabama before the season.
Saban failed in the NFL once, but he didn't have a quarterback like Andrew Luck, who despite the bad year is still considered one of the NFL's brightest young stars. Irsay is desperate to win, and he has the money to spend. Would Nick Saban leave what he's built in Tuscaloosa for another shot at NFL glory? Well, we know we can't ask him.
If Irsay decides he wants Saban and fails to secure his service, then I'd like to humbly suggest Jim Harbaugh: Another elite college coach with Indianapolis ties and an even better NFL record than Saban's.
