What Will Nick Saban Do?

Sadly, one of the last posts I made was when Alabama played LSU for the national title almost a year ago....not sad that it was about Alabama....sad the fact that it was almost a year ago. 

So Alabama is back in the national title game but this year going up against undefeated Notre Dame. This is Saban's third title game in the last four years, having defeated LSU after the 2011 season and Texas after the 2009 season (he also defeated Oklahoma after the 2003 season, while the coach of LSU).  Even if the Fighting Irish should defeat the Crimson Tide on January 7th (not likely according to The Sports Question Mark's assessment), what more is left for Saban to accomplish?  After a failed two year stint in the NFL with the Dolphins (15-17, narrowly missing the playoffs his first season with a 9-7 record), Saban returned to the college game with Alabama in 2007. His record at Alabama is an astounding 62-13, with five seasons of 10+ wins (that’s five of six); I'll ask again, what more is left for him to accomplish at the collegiate level?  In quotes attributed to Saban's wife, winning isn't bringing the satisfaction it once did because it's becoming expected.  (In all honesty, the vast majority of coaches would prefer to have this situation and his $5M+ annual salary.)

Saban hasn't always been a college coach, most notably having served as Bill Belichick's Defensive Coordinator (1991-1994) during The Hoody's failed (compared to his success in New England) stint in Cleveland.  Interesting that Cleveland should come up.....because the Browns are under new ownership (since the season began Randy Lerner sold the team and is enjoying his football in England as the owner of Aston Villa of the English Premier League) and a new coaching and management regime is expected (owners typically want their own selections in their President, GM and Head Coaching positions, so this isn't a big surprise) in fact, Team President Mike Holmgren has already stepped aside, and rumor on the street is that NFL Network analyst Mike Lombardi has been tagged as the next GM of the Browns.  So how is this tied to Saban?  When Saban was in Cleveland, Lombardi was in the Brown's front office (Pro Personnel Director and Director of Player Personnel), and allegedly shares in the Belichick player evaluation mindset.  Saban did not have people who shared this way of doing business in Miami....and may have never left the pro game had he. 

I'm not just here to be a pretty face and poke holes in other people's theories, so here’s my prediction.  If Alabama loses to Notre Dame there's only a 50-50 chance that Saban leaves for the NFL.  If Bama wins, that number jumps to 75-25 that he leaves.  With three titles in just four years, what more will there be for Saban to prove/accomplish at Alabama?  Also, if the NFL gig doesn't work out again for Saban and he wanted to return to the college game, how many colleges wouldn't have him as their coach?  I believe a bidding war will erupt….and the Naval Academy will welcome him back with open arms.  He was the Defensive Back Coach there in 1982.