Nick Saban Linked to Unexpected Big 12 Program

Nick Saban Linked to Unexpected Big 12 Program originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Country Roads, take Nick Saban … home? With Greg McElroy hinting toward the legendary Alabama Crimson Tide head coach’s return to the sidelines, On3 analyst Ari Wasserman believes Saban should take over for the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Saban, a Fairmont, W. Va., native, grew up right down the road from Morgantown before playing at Kent State and embarking on an illustrious coaching career. In December, the Mountaineers hired Rich Rodriguez for his second stint with the team. But, if Saban came available, Wasserman would usher Rodriguez out the door.

“Could you imagine Nick Saban at West Virginia?” Wasserman said Monday on “Andy & Ari On3.” “And Rich Rod is the man. Like, I like Rich Rod. But could you imagine him at a Big 12 school like West Virginia, where he grew up, reviving the Mountaineers and them making the playoff? How cool would that be?”

West Virginia hasn’t been listed in the Associated Press poll or College Football Playoff rankings since 2017. For a stretch in the Big East in the mid 2000s, under Rodriguez, the Mountaineers were national title contenders. They’ve only had two double-digit-win seasons since 2008.

“I am so obsessed with the notion of returning home or coming back to your roots to put a bow on something,” Wasserman said. “Now, you said he would never go to a place that doesn’t have the infrastructure to win a national championship. The question I have is whether or not that infrastructure is created. Could he go to the Big 12 and win a national title?”

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.