5 Nick Saban replacements without any Alabama ties

1. Mike Norvell is probably the best outside candidate for what Alabama wants

Until he definitively says no, I think the best guy for the job right now is Mike Norvell. What he did to bring Florida State back seemingly from the dead cannot be overstated. Norvell was about to be cast off into the Gulf of Mexico by battery-throwing mad Seminoles fans. Not only did he survive a rough few first years on the job, he brought Florida State back to glory. Of course, they missed the playoff.

And that right there is why I think he could leave. All things equal, Florida State is the best job in the ACC because of resources, location and winning tradition. Its SEC equivalent is what Alabama was prior to Georgia winning a national title under Kirby Smart. They are every bit college football blue-bloods. Unfortunately, Florida State's TV contract with ESPN is the elephant carcass in the room.

Simply put, Alabama will be able to outspend whatever Florida State could ever hope to offer to keep him. Norvell is a proven head coach, as illustrated by his rise to prominence at Florida State and at Memphis before that. The big question Alabama has to ask is what will its rival teams think about adding Norvell. Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and Tennessee may not love Norvell to Tuscaloosa.

If Alabama was unable to land Dan Lanning, then the next best thing just might be Norvell in the end.