re: When it happens, the coach who replaces Nick Saban

Saban was his own worst enemy here, at times. We had a revolving door of position coaches for 5 years, most of who took lateral moves or demotion just to get away. I also recall none of his MSU position guys left there to come to LSU with him. Plus, the threat of him eventually leaving for the NFL was a given, and was a weapon for others against him on the recruiting trail.

Since going to Bama, he's toned it down enough to keep a very stable and loyal staff. The guys he has there don't leave unless it's a great move up. Also, the threat of him leaving is almost non-existent now, so there is really no stopping him on the recruiting trail.

The next guy at Bama will also be walking into a much different SEC. A conference where schools like Ole Miss, State, Arkansas, and Mizzou have plenty of money for facilities and recruiting despite smaller stadiums and fanbases. The days of huge money advantages for certain teams is over. Everyone in the conference now has the opportunity to hire a big time coach and staff and get players. That makes what Saban is doing right now even more remarkable. The fact is, no one else is going to be able to sustain that. He's a once in a generation guy. You don't replace those.