5 Nick Saban replacements without any Alabama ties

2. Marcus Freeman would low-key actually make a ton of sense here

Low-key, I actually think Marcus Freeman could be a fantastic head coach at Alabama. He may not have achieved as much success at Notre Dame as his predecessor Brian Kelly did, but keep in mind that Kelly had a much longer runway than him. Notre Dame had been Kelly's fourth program of note he got to lead. Freeman only became a first-time head coach two years ago after Kelly up and left.

There are three things I like about Freeman potentially leaving Notre Dame for Alabama. One, he has given Notre Dame somewhat of a cool factor in recruiting. I cannot begin to tell you how hard that is. Two, he entered a very difficult situation replacing Kelly, and has certainly made the most of it. And three, he already has a working relationship with Alabama's offensive coordinator in Tommy Rees.

Anybody the Crimson Tide brings in to replace Saban, outside of someone like a Kirby Smart, would be a complete departure from what they do anyway. Freeman could be a breath of fresh air. He might fail entering the SEC, but I think his recruiting chops and mental toughness suggest that he may have what it takes to thrive in this league. It won't be smooth sailing, but he could navigate this.

This would be like hiring Deion Sanders without necessarily having all of that Louis Vuitton luggage.