Amid rumors surrounding Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin’s future, legendary former Alabama head coach Nick Saban called for changes to be made to the college football hiring cycle.
Speaking Saturday on ESPN’s College GameDay (h/t On3.com’s Steve Samra), Saban expressed his belief that it isn’t fair to the players that a coach can leave for another job before the season is over.
“Everybody should be thinking about the players,” Saban said. “Players should be able to play for their coach for the entire season. Players shouldn’t be penalized if a coach leaves, because the committee has the opportunity, if a player or coach doesn’t participate, they can sink you in the rankings.”
Saban went on to say that the NCAA “should match the academic calendar with the football calendar” in an effort to prevent those types of issues.
Kiffin is rumored to be a candidate for the head coaching jobs at LSU and Florida, and while he is still at Ole Miss for now, Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter told reporters this week that an announcement regarding his future will be made the day after the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State on Nov. 28.
While Kiffin is weighing his options, sources told ESPN’s Mark Schlabach that Ole Miss has offered Kiffin “a lengthy extension with a salary comparable to those the Tigers and Gators are offering him.”
Regardless of what decision Kiffin ultimately makes, the rumors are creating some unneeded distractions amid a push for the College Football Playoff and potentially a national championship.
The Rebels are 10-1, and a win over Mississippi State next week would likely clinch their CFP spot, as they are currently ranked No. 6.
If Kiffin accepts another job and leaves before the season is over, it could influence the CFP committee, though, and it is safe to assume it would adversely impact the Rebels’ chances of success in the CFP if they make it.
High-profile programs are typically in a hurry to figure out their coaching situations before the opening of the transfer portal and early signing day, which is why schools like LSU and Florida are already on the hunt.
Saban suggested that early signing day should be eliminated completely, and all other dates should be pushed back, which would allow the head coach hiring cycle to take place after the season rather than during it.
The seven-time national championship-winning head coach continued by saying, “This is not a Lane Kiffin conundrum. This is a college football conundrum, and we need some leadership to step up and change the rules.”
Currently, the college football landscape is far more chaotic than it once was, as name, image and likeness (NIL) has made the transfer portal more active than ever.
With so many highly regarded players essentially becoming free agents at the end of the season, teams need to have their coaching situations figured out in order to be competitive in the portal.
If the portal and other related dates are pushed back, it would allow the NCAA to place restrictions on programs contacting coaches during the season, and that could help solve a lot of the problems Ole Miss and other programs are currently facing.
Source link
