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A roster that's probably the most talented in the country

Typically when a job like this opens up its because they're in a down cycle. An Alabama with a loaded roster, #2 recruiting class coming off a 12-2 season is the opportunity of a career for a coach. Why wouldn't an elite coach take it?

And many of the key pieces of that roster could immediately decide to go elsewhere. The signed to play for a coach with 7 national championship rings. NO replacement, no matter who it is, will be able to match that.

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Why wouldn't an elite coach take it?

Because he doesn't need to. If he's "elite", he's already proven he can be elite at his current school. He doesn't need to go to Alabama to become "elite". A job where "elite" to everyone else in the country would fall well short of his predecessor.

Alabama didn't make Saban great. Saban made Alabama great. So there is no guarantee the next guy could come in and pick up where Saban left off. And if/when he couldn't the fans/boosters would be demanding he be fired within a few years.

I suspect you are going to see more of a Les Miles hire. A guy who has had some degree of success at a "lesser" program, but knows he doesn't really have the resources to be a championship contender there. That said, the advent of the 12 team playoff may change that. Plus, one of the biggest hurdles to championship success is now GONE. Every coach at a solid program wakes up today saying the field just became more open. They knew, every year, without fail, Alabama was going to be in the hunt for a championship and was a hurdle you likely had to get over at some point en route to a championship. That's no longer the case.

Alabama is now weaker. Ohio St seems to remain flawed. Clemson is declining. If Harbaugh leaves, the Big 10 becomes much more than a two horse race. Really, Georgia now sits as the "impenetrable" wall.