Paul Finebaum weighs in on possibility of Deion Sanders being hired by SEC team after 2025 season

Deion Sanders is entering what will be his third season as head coach at Colorado. However, on Tuesday, ‘First Take’ again revisited the interest or chance that Coach Prime could end up in the SEC.

This morning, Stephen A. Smith and Paul Finebaum debated whether a team in the Southeastern Conference, or at least another brand program, should consider hiring Sanders, especially if he has another successful year this fall with the Buffs. Smith began by saying another team should based on the turnaround he’s done at Colorado as proof of what he could do at an even bigger program like one in the SEC.

“I think so, and the reason I think so is that he has shown what he can do when he has talent, he has shown an ability to recruit talent to get people to want to come to his program,” said Smith. “In Boulder, Colorado? I mean, let’s call it what it is. I mean, last year, when they won their (nine) games and they had a successful season, it was the best season they had since 2016, if I remember correctly. This was a moribund program until he arrived. We all know this, okay.

“Just imagine if he was in Tuscaloosa? What if, instead of DeBoer, it was him coaching Alabama? What if it was him coaching at Texas A&M, with that oil money, you know, those alumni members contributing to the program and beyond? What if he was coaching at some place like Florida? What if Florida State had gone with him? Not to say their coach didn’t do a damn good job, at least a couple of years back, but, my goodness, that’s where he wanted to go. He desperately wanted to go back to Florida State, but they didn’t want him, okay. I know this for a fact because I was on the phone with him when it was all going down. I’m telling you what he wanted.”

Finebaum agreed to an extent, noting that Sanders should have probably been hired at a bigger school already. That includes one school in the SEC which he reminded us that he interviewed for back when their job was last open at the turn of the decade.

“Deion is a change agent,” said Finebaum. “But, I want to mention a school that could have hired Deion very easily. You mentioned Florida State. He interviewed for Arkansas about five or six years ago – Arkansas! They hired somebody else, Sam Pittman. He’s been on the hot seat now for three years. I realize that’s not the glitz and glamour of Alabama.

“There are a lot of schools that passed on Deion Sanders and, deep down, I bet they and their fanbase regret it.”

Through two seasons, Sanders had led Colorado to a 13-12 (.520) record. Still, 4-8 in his debut was a three-win improvement from the year prior and the Buffaloes went 9-4 (.692), including 7-2 in conference with a legitimate chance to play for the Big 12 and, with that, a spot in the CFP, in his second year last fall. That, paired with attention he brings with him, has quickly made him one of the most interesting coaching candidates in the sport, whether college or the pros.

Even so, Stephen A. continued to come back to the idea of him being Alabama, being the only program he consumes in college football. He would be all-in on the Crimson Tide moving on from Kalen DeBoer, if his second season as their head coach doesn’t go well, if it meant Sanders would replace him in T-Town.

“I’m not sold on DeBoer. I know he did a great job at Washington but, listen. They miss Nick Saban in Alabama. They miss Nick Saban. Damnit, I miss Nick Saban – now, he does a great, great job for us on ‘College GameDay’. But, my goodness. This man at Alabama? This is Nick Saban, baby,” Smith continued on. “I’m not going to lie to you. I would not have minded at all if Alabama changed course and they brought somebody like Prime Time to Alabama. That would have been spectacular, and I think it’s something they still should consider down the line, if next year, if this season, is a repeat of last season. That’s just my personal opinion.

“You know I watch Alabama. You know how I am. And, I’m telling you right now, I was not pleased with DeBoer last year. I was not pleased at all, okay. They better be better. You don’t defer to anybody. Hell with Georgia, hell with all of them, you understand? You’re Alabama! Stand up and handle your business. I’m not saying DeBoer can’t coach. We know he can coach – we know what we did at Washington, we know what he’s done wherever he’s been. But, Alabama? Listen, you’re following Nick Saban. That’s a different standard. That’s a different responsibility. You can either live up to it or you can bounce. It’s that simple.”

Finebaum obviously wasn’t there yet as far Alabama. That said, if this season doesn’t meet expectations again for the Tide, he thinks there’d start to be talks of another coaching search in Tuscaloosa.

“If Alabama loses a few games this season, let’s return to this subject,” said Finebaum. “As far as Alabama? I mean, Alabama is a fluid team. They’re expected to be great but, if DeBoer doesn’t win this year, I don’t have any doubt conversations like this are going to continue.”

Coming off last season, Sanders has made himself into a legitimate coaching candidate elsewhere if he so chose when an opportunity came up. It’s just a question of if one of those opportunities for Coach Prime could eventually be in the SEC.