LSU Coach Search: Shaq Backs Saban Return

Baton Rouge, LA – Louisiana State University’s search for a new head football coach has taken a surprising turn, with NBA legend and LSU alumnus Shaquille O’Neal publicly endorsing a highly improbable, yet headline-grabbing, candidate: current Alabama head coach Nick Saban. The suggestion comes just days after LSU parted ways with Brian Kelly, whose two-season tenure in Baton Rouge ended with a disappointing 10-13 overall record.

O’Neal, a former LSU basketball star and vocal supporter of the university’s athletic programs, floated Saban’s name during a recent interview on a national sports talk show, stating, “We need someone who can bring us back to championship form, and Coach Saban knows how to do that here. He’s done it before.” Shaq’s comment immediately sent ripples through the college football world, despite the widely acknowledged unlikelihood of Saban’s return.

Brian Kelly, who was hired with significant fanfare and a lucrative contract in November 2021, compiled a 5-7 record in his inaugural 2022 season and followed up with a 5-6 campaign in 2023. This performance fell far short of the lofty expectations for a program that last won a national championship in 2019 and consistently aims for SEC and national contention. His firing officially took effect on December 2nd, with LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward initiating an immediate search for Kelly’s successor.

Nick Saban, 72, holds an iconic place in LSU history. He led the Tigers from 2000 to 2004, culminating in a BCS National Championship victory in 2003, marking a golden era for the program. His departure for the Miami Dolphins of the NFL after the 2004 season, and subsequent return to college football with rival Alabama in 2007, forever altered the SEC landscape.

Since arriving in Tuscaloosa, Saban has built arguably the greatest dynasty in college football history, securing six national championships with the Crimson Tide and cementing his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greatest coaches. He is currently signed with Alabama through the 2029 season, with an annual salary exceeding $11 million, making a move back to a former rival university an unprecedented and virtually unthinkable scenario for many.

“While it’s a fun thought for LSU fans and certainly gets a lot of media attention, the idea of Nick Saban leaving Alabama, especially at his age and with the dynasty he’s built, to return to LSU, is firmly in the realm of fantasy,” said veteran college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit on ESPN. “The man is 72, has nothing left to prove, and is coaching arguably the premier program in the country that he constructed. Plus, the rivalry between LSU and Alabama is too intense for such a move to ever be genuinely considered by either side.”

LSU’s athletic department has remained tight-lipped about specific candidates, with Athletic Director Scott Woodward issuing a statement confirming a “thorough and comprehensive national search” for the next head coach. The university is expected to target proven winners with a track record of success at the Power Five level, and potentially coaches with strong ties to recruiting in the talent-rich Louisiana and surrounding Southern states.

While O’Neal’s suggestion adds a layer of intrigue and star power to the nascent coaching search, the reality of Nick Saban returning to Death Valley remains a long shot. LSU is expected to consider a wide array of other prominent names in the coming weeks as it seeks to restore its football program to national prominence.