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Ole Miss

Lane Kiffin responds to reports that Nick Saban is considering a return to coaching

On3 imageby: Billy Embody07/14/25BillyEmbody
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At SEC Media Days, Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin expressed their latest thoughts on name, image and likeness after operating a year with NIL. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is certainly known for stirring the pot at times, but he picked up on another report around former Alabama head coach Nick Saban’s future at SEC Media Days.

ESPN analyst and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy said on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning he heard someone predict Nick Saban will return to coaching at some point. He cited a “very much in the know person” who thinks Saban would get back to the sidelines.

“I don’t think he’s done,” Kiffin said with local reporters Monday morning. “He’ll be back, whether that’s college or NFL.”

McElroy brought up the idea during an interview on the show with Paul Finebaum. Saban currently works as an analyst for ESPN, but is not part of SEC Network’s coverage of SEC Media Days in Atlanta and is not in attendance this week.

McElroy pointed out it was someone “notable” who told him they think Saban isn’t necessarily done coaching. In fact, he said the person was “adamant.”

“This is a little bit out of left field, but the question was asked of me … a very much in the know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around and just really, really admire,” McElroy said. “They seem to think Nick Saban’s not done coaching. I had a similar reaction. He’s pretty adamant that he thinks Nick Saban will be coaching again. … Look, if it wasn’t someone notable, I’d never say a word.”

With media days behind him, Kiffin is focused on getting his team ready to roll this fall. Expectations are high once again in Oxford.

“We kind of have to start every year like it’s new, as far as teaching things, and speakers and cultures and everything because there is so much turnovers,” Kiffin said. “Which is unfortunate for college football but it is what it is. So it’s where we’re at with the system that we have to continue that way.”

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