With Steve Sarkisian headed to Texas, Alabama is once again on the search for a new offensive coordinator. Here’s a look at some possible names the Crimson Tide could consider as it looks to replace the current Broyles Award winner.
BamaInsider will update this list throughout the coaching search as more information is acquired.
Bill O'BrienÂ
Why it might make sense: Two of Saban’s last three hires at offensive coordinator came from the NFL. Might he go that route again. O’Brien was fired as the head coach and general manager of the Houston Texans in October and is currently out of work. According to reports, he was in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Sunday.
O’Brien has experience at both the NFL and college level. He served as the Texans’ head coach from 2014-20. Before that, he was the head coach at Penn State from 2012-13. He earned the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award in 2012 while rallying a Nittany Lions team through NCAA sanctions.
O’Brien has plenty of experience working under one of Saban’s biggest confidants, Bill Belichick as he worked with the New England Patriots from 2007-11, taking on offensive coordinator duties during his final year. O’Brien also has previous experience as an offensive coordinator at Duke (2005-06) and Georgia Tech (2001-02).
Why it might not make sense: It’s been a while since O’Brien has been in the college football scene. It’s also unclear if he’d take a step back down to a coordinator role.
Chip Long
Current position: Offensive coordinator at Tulane
Why it makes sense: A Birmingham, Ala. native and North Alabama alum, Long is a name that has been brought up time and time again in past Alabama offensive coordinator coaching searches. Long recently served as an offensive analyst at Tennessee. Before that, he served as the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame from 2017-19. He also served as the offensive coordinator at Memphis in 2016.
Why it does not make sense: We’ve heard in the past that Saban has contacted Long, but for whatever reason, it just seems to not work out.
Jeff Lebby
Current position: Offensive coordinator at Ole Miss
Why it makes sense: Only 35 years old, Lebby has done a fantastic job with the Ole Miss offense, sharing play calling duties with Lane Kiffin. The Rebels averaged 562.9 yards of offense this season and were led by quarterback Matt Coral who threw for just shy of 3,000 yards with 27 touchdowns. Lebby was at UCF prior to Ole Miss where he tutored McKenzie Milton. In 2019, he had the Knights ranked second in total offense, averaging 540.5 yards per game.
Why it might not make sense: Lebby just got to Ole Miss this season and seems to be enjoying riding the Lane Train. Although, he needs to look no further than his current boss to see what working with Nick Saban can do for a career.
