🏈 It's the off-season so I expected to hear "Dabo/Saban" discussions because it's the off-season. This year it's as far as "it's a lock."

[Max]

If you guys missed it Finebaum was on the radio this week and has changed his tune about the possibility of Dabo following Saban. Last season he was dismissing the idea and was pretty adamant while he was telling his side of things. This year it's on the other side.

So what changed? Finebaum saw Swinney in action during the Clemson coach’s induction into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame over the weekend. As the host of the evening, Finebaum witnessed first-hand the raw emotion of the honor and the way Swinney treated the people of Alabama.​

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During his Monday morning appearance on WJOX’s The RoundTable, Finebaum explained why he no longer considers Swinney-to-Alabama an impossible outcome.​

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“Who knows when Saban’s day will come, but I’m putting a couple of chips down on the longshot now,” Finebaum told The RoundTable. “It’s no longer off the board. It was off the board, but I just saw it. I felt it. You know? His wife grew up in Alabama. His family is from Alabama. That will be a fascinating gravitational pull when Alabama calls and says ‘OK, Dabo. It’s time to come home.’ I don’t know if it would be as absolute [a no] as I thought it would have been a couple of months ago.”​

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Finebaum went on to explain that Clemson, which brought a large contingency of Tigers administrators and staff to Swinney’s Alabama Hall of Fame induction, will be doing everything they can to keep him away from Alabama.​

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“I’m probably going to upset somebody, but it’s Alabama vs. Clemson,” Finebaum said. “It’s no contest if you’re thinking about ‘OK, where do I really want to be long-term?’ And I think because he’s from Alabama I’m going to keep pushing that ball up the hill. And the fact that he’s already won that championship [at Clemson]. I don’t think anybody wants to replace Saban — it’s an impossible task.​

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“But I will say this, before anyone says it’s impossible to replace Nick Saban, I think the only person who can replace Nick Saban is Dabo Swinney.”​

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Here's the double down. It's not from Finebaum, but from Lars Anderson who also has his ties to Alabama.

 

[utstnx]

I tend to agree. However a lot can happen in the next few years.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Clemson fans be like:

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

JMO BUT if Terry and Nick have good health I think he will go another 5-7 years at Bama. I actually worry more about Terry than Nick. Coach Saban's Mom has to be near 90 and I recall seeing her on the sideline one game a year of so back so perhaps Nick has her genes.

Dabo would be an excellent hire. NOBODY is going to duplicate Nick's record at Bama....... of course it will be expected and accepted.

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

He seemed to be a bit too goofy and rah-rah in the past to me. He seems to have mellowed that down a bit. Still passionate on the sidelines and in interviews, just not so goofy anymore.

 

[UAgrad93]

He seemed to be a bit too goofy and rah-rah in the past to me. He seems to have mellowed that down a bit. Still passionate on the sidelines and in interviews, just not so goofy anymore.

I think that is what tends to turn many of the BAMA Nation off about Dabo. That is just Dabo. He is high motor , high intensity, in your face. That just rubs some people the wrong way. I don't think Dabo would shy away from following CNS either. He has set his own expectations for Clemson as high as what they are here. WIN 'EM ALL!!!

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Dabo was rough when he assumed the Clemson HC job. No smaller HC experience to hone his abilities with the press, he just plopped onto the large stage. He continues to excel as a recruiter, and his public demeanor has mellowed from the emotional, rah-rah guy he was at first. Once he got his guys in at Clemson, he's been tough to beat. Counting the partial year as interim HC, he's been HC for 10 seasons at Clemson. 19 of his 30 losses occurred in his first four years, and he's lost just four games in the last three seasons (two to Bama).

It wouldn't bother me a bit to have him follow Saban.

RTR,

Tim

 

[TUSKtimes]

I have to admit that the last 7 years at Clemson, Dabo has exceeded coach Saban's resume before he arrived at Alabama. Perhaps it's possible with the machinery that is the Crimson Tide behind him to far exceed even what his own expectations have been. Getting dedicated guys that have had time to get it figured out seems to be the ultimate blueprint for success.

 

[OldPlayer]

Off season discussions? The grass in BDS has been ripped up for over a week. Not one person has mentioned the installation of artificial turf. Where has tradition gone?

 

[50+yeartidefan]

i bet....NS will surprise all at how long he will be at Bama...
Health and interest are there....support is there....
May push 8-10 years?.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Off season discussions? The grass in BDS has been ripped up for over a week. Not one person has mentioned the installation of artificial turf. Where has tradition gone?

It wasn't A-Day until you saw this. We were the only artificial field in America that had wet spots on it even when it was dry.

 

[ElephantStomp]

Who knows what happens between now and when Coach Saban decides to retire to the lake house, but I think Bama could do worse than Dabo. I’ve always liked Dabo, although at first his rah rah kid on a damn sugar rush was kind of annoying, it fit him and has done amazing things for him at Clemson. I think it would be really hard for him to say no I Mama called

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

Off season discussions? The grass in BDS has been ripped up for over a week. Not one person has mentioned the installation of artificial turf. Where has tradition gone?

You know, I pass by BDS every day for work.

And I started to take and post pics of the gargantuan mound of ripped-up sod outside the east side of the stadium, but I figured someone else would've already done so by now.

Could this be the year we finally see field turf?

Or are they just laying new sod for the camp circuit, only to replace it again in August for the upcoming season, like always?

I guess we'll find out... Lol

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

i bet....NS will surprise all at how long he will be at Bama...
Health and interest are there....support is there....
May push 8-10 years?.

He's in it to win it (surpassing Bear's records) at this point.

I'm thinking along the same timeline as you are...

 

[OldPlayer]

Off season discussions? The grass in BDS has been ripped up for over a week. Not one person has mentioned the installation of artificial turf. Where has tradition gone?

It wasn't A-Day until you saw this. We were the only artificial field in America that had wet spots on it even when it was dry.

I used to think the same thing, but those spots aren't wet. The discoloration comes from under the turf.

 

[JoshB]

This is a really silly discussion IMO. For all we know Saban could coach five more years and by that time Dabo may not even be a blip on the coaching radar. A TON can happen in five years. Trying to gauge who may or may not replace a coach that may or may not be still coaching the team 5 years down the line is pretty much impossible.

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

And since we're on the off-season rumor mill... Who's the new super-secret HCIW?

1st it was Kirby, then Kiffin. Then it was Pruitt...

Tosh?

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

This is a really silly discussion IMO. For all we know Saban could coach five more years and by that time Dabo may not even be a blimp on the coaching radar. A TON can happen in five years. Trying to gauge who may or may not replace a coach that may or may not be still coaching the team 5 years down the line is pretty much impossible.

You clearly don't understand how off-season rumors work, Dr. Killjoy

 

[TUSKtimes]

This is a really silly discussion IMO. For all we know Saban could coach five more years and by that time Dabo may not even be a blimp on the coaching radar. A TON can happen in five years. Trying to gauge who may or may not replace a coach that may or may not be still coaching the team 5 years down the line is pretty much impossible.

Too late, we have already had the discussion.

 

[TUSKtimes]

I used to think the same thing, but those spots aren't wet. The discoloration comes from under the turf.

Didn't those spots get huge before we finally changed it?