Alabama coach Nick Saban said on Tuesday that it was a “continuous process” to find a replacement for offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who was named Texas’ head coach a week ago.
Former Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien was Saban’s target and is considered one of the top candidates for the vacant position, ESPN sources Chris Low said.
Saban was planning to talk to several candidates about the job, the sources said.
“I can’t make predictions about our team,” Saban told reporters on Tuesday, the morning after Alabama beat Ohio State and won the National College Football Playoff Championship. “I think we have a wonderful team. I like the chemistry in our team. We are happy for Sark. I don’t know what other opportunities there will be for our coaches. We will just have to wait and see. I cannot answer that.
“It is an ongoing process to find the right offensive coordinator. We are certainly in the process of doing that.”
If Saban brought O’Brien as a replacement for Sarkisian, it would be the second time Saban has sought out an offensive coordinator who has worked with a longtime friend and coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick. The last was former Patriots coach Brian Daboll in 2017.
O’Brien was an assistant to the Belichick Patriots team from 2007 to 2011 before taking over as coach at Penn State, where he helped rebuild the program following the Jerry Sandusky scandal and subsequent NCAA sanctions.
O’Brien had 15-9 in two seasons at Penn State before being hired as the Texans’ head coach. He was promoted to the post of general manager before the 2020 season, but was fired after 0-4 start.
O’Brien was on campus last week and devoted time to the program as Alabama got ready for the national championship game.
Whoever replaces Sarkisian will have a very high standard to follow.
In two seasons calling for moves, Sarkisian oversaw an attack that averaged 47.8 points and 526.6 yards per game.
ESPN’s Chris Low contributed to this story.