LSU coaching search: Todd McShay predicts LSU will make Nick Saban reconsider retirement

Todd McShay predicted LSU will make an offer to Nick Saban to become the head coach and reconsider retirement. Based on “what he knows,” McShay said LSU will at least make the call, as told on his podcast The McShay Show.

“And I can say this based off of what I do know,” McShay said. “LSU is going to make an offer to Nick and Miss Terry that will force them to reconsider their justifiable stance of ‘at this point in our lives, working College GameDay, ESPN, ABC is where we where we belong.’ It’s healthier. Nick’s enjoying it. Miss Terry, loving it.”

Saban coached LSU from 2000-04, going 48-16, won the 2003 BCS National Championship and parlayed it into a head coaching gig with the Miami Dolphins in 2005. He returned to college football in 2007 to coach Alabama, where he stood until 2023, going 201-29, winning six additional national titles.

Saban has the argument to be the GOAT of college football head coaches. But as McShay pointed out, he left the game as NIL and the transfer portal continued to evolve.

“He left because college football had changed, and it was time,” McShay said. “And the recruiting and the NIL, and the transfer portal. It’s just like, it’s hard to coach anymore, but there’s no one more qualified to come in, even at his age and (this) point in his career, to kind of temper, keep the rat poison out, and do all the things. And he’s even said publicly, and I’ve talked to him in meetings, one of his, I don’t want to put words in his mouth but, regrets in his coaching history was leaving LSU.”

Saban took his shot at the NFL, but ultimately he is remembered for picking Dante Culpepper at QB over Drew Brees in 2006 when weighing injury concerns of the two. Culpepper ultimately flamed out due to injuries and Brees turned into a Hall of Fame QB with the New Orleans Saints.

“I’ve literally sat in two different meetings with him and talked to him about the Drew Brees and the injuries and the doctors and Miami and the ownership, and I’ve had really long, interesting conversations where he’s just gone on rants about it,” McShay said. “And it wasn’t necessarily about leaving LSU, although (LSU) truly does hold a special place in his heart … And I heard it in his voice and in his words. The regret was more … and I’m paraphrasing: ‘I learned quickly in the NFL, my mission was to become the greatest coach, the most successful coach in college football history.

“‘I know I could succeed in different circumstances in the NFL, but this is where I belong: college football.’ But he does hold a special place in his heart for LSU.”

Saban and his wife Miss Terry have been discussed a lot this year when it comes to his coaching career. He revealed his wife was the one who pushed him to take the LSU job in 2000 after spending five years at Michigan State.

However, Saban and Miss Terry shot down any rumors that he would be interested in the Penn State opening. As far as LSU is concerned, or other jobs, Saban wants to stay retired. Although he joked that he needs to keep super agent Jimmy Sexton away from Miss Terry, otherwise the financial figures might be too enticing.

“And I think LSU, knowing what I know, I don’t think they have delusions of grandeur,” McShay said. “I don’t think that they believe that they absolutely will get Nick Saban, but I do know the people down there, and I will be shocked privately, not something that is going to, you know, Thamel is going to start reporting, or anyone else. Privately, there will be an offer made that will make Nick walk into the his home office with with Miss Terry, or get out in the lake and say, ‘Let’s at least talk about this for a minute.’

“That’s my guess, but I don’t know that it’s going to be enough. I don’t think $100 million over X amount of years would necessarily be enough. He’s got money, he’s got rings, he’s got everything that you could ever imagine a coach when you set out to be a college coach could have, right? But this might be the only place that he might say, well, let’s, let’s sit down and talk.”