He is now St. Nick in the Bayou. And for the next year, every day LSU coach Nick Saban is in Louisiana, it’s Christmas.
That won’t keep the Bears from shopping for their next coach in Baton Rouge.
Several sources confirmed Monday the Bears’ interest in Saban but acknowledged the delicate nature regarding the next step, if there is one. Until Saban makes it known that he has interest in becoming an NFL head coach, the Bears don’t figure to push the issue out of professional courtesy and respect for Saban’s recruiting efforts.
General manager Jerry Angelo likely believes his friendship with Saban will assure him an interview if and when Saban decides to explore the NFL opportunities in front of him. For that reason, Angelo feels content to complete the first wave of interviews–which continued Monday with 49ers defensive coordinator Jim Mora–while Saban considers his options.
Saban, a potential top candidate in Atlanta and New York, has maintained throughout the bowl season how much he enjoys coaching at LSU and living at his 25-acre estate 3 miles from campus. Sunday night’s victory over Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl made LSU No. 1 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll and made Saban the richest coach in college football at an estimated salary of $2.5 million a year for the duration of a long-term contract.
Team President Ted Phillips promised the Bears would be competitive, and Saban’s likely price tag of $4 million to $5 million surely would test that commitment.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, like Angelo a native of Youngstown, Ohio, and an annual hot college coach, sounded even more committed to staying than Saban. He addressed the issue for what he hopes was the last time this winter on the eve of the Sugar Bowl and felt a kinship with Saban.
“The NFL isn’t the end-all by a long shot,” Stoops said Saturday. “When you’re in a great college program, that’s as good as it gets.”
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Edited by the Sports staff of RedEye.
