Leaders And Long Shots In Alabama Offensive Coordinator Search

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian is set to once again become a head coach for a major college football program following the Crimson Tide's national title matchup with the Ohio State Buckeyes next week. As for his replacement as he heads to Austin to take over the Texas Longhorns, a host of well-known names are making the rounds on social media, blogs and message boards.

Here's a rundown of the most notable names, along with some long shot candidates and others who could be likely contenders.

TOP OF THE LIST

TOM HERMAN

• Last Stop: Fired by Texas Saturday after posting a 32–18 record in four seasons for the Longhorns.
• The Spin: "Sure, the Crimson Tide would essentially be swapping coaches with Texas," writes AJ Spurr from RollTideWire.com. "However, Herman is a great offensive mind, so why not give him some of the strongest weapons in the nation with fewer responsibilities compared to those of a head coach."

BILL O'BRIEN

• Last Stop: Fired by the Houston Texans after beginning the 2020 season 0-4. A former college head coach at Penn State, O'Brien returned to the professional ranks in 2014 to take over the struggling Texans.
• The Spin: Shannon B. Terry, founder of 247Sports, on Sunday tweeted "Bill O'Brien (former Texans HC, Penn State HC, and Patriots OC) is in Tuscaloosa today. No clue if it's in an official capacity, but interesting nonetheless."

ADAM GASE

• Last Stop: Following NFL head coaching gigs with the Miami Dolphins and most recently the New York Jets, Adam Gase is back on the market after being fired Sunday at the conclusion of a 2-win season. During his two seasons with the Jets, Gase posted a 9-23 record. He also has a history with Alabama coach Nick Saban, who gave him his first football job in 1999 as an undergraduate assistant at Michigan State.
• The Spin: "Two of the coaches Nick Saban is considering for Alabama’s soon to be vacant offensive coordinator role: former Jets head coach Adam Gase and former Texans/Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien," Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman tweeted on Monday. "Adam Gase was a graduate assistant under Nick Saban at LSU and first connected with Saban in the 90s when the former Jets coach was a student at Michigan State."

LONG SHOT CANDIDATES

PHIL LONGO

• Last Stop: Current offensive coordinator under Mack Brown at the University of North Carolina. Prior to his time roaming the sidelines for the Tar Heels, Longo also earned some SEC experience as the offensive coordinator for Ole Miss.
• The Spin: CJ Dew of BamaHammer.com writes: "This should be the first call Alabama Football makes as they look for their new play-caller. Longo is an underrated coach who has had the pleasure of working with quarterback Sam Howell and running back Javonte Williams, who has seen his draft stock rise like crazy this season. The Tar Heels rank No. 5 in total offense this season, which includes ranking No. 4 in first downs, No. 7 in scoring offense, and Longo is a big reason for that. Combine him with the stacked talent that Alabama brings back next season, even with the Tide likely losing several key starters, the Crimson Tide will be in a good position."

HUGH FREEZE

• Last Stop: The current head coach at Liberty University and coming off a 10-1 season, Hugh Freeze has been mentioned for numerous SEC coaching vacancies as many speculate a future return to the conference following his forced departure from Oxford. Considered a great offensive mind, Freeze's Ole Miss Rebels defeated Nick Saban and the Tide in back-to-back seasons.
• The Spin: "Freeze just signed an extension with Liberty that will pay him a reported $3 million, but Alabama can beat that number if they wish," writes SB Nation's Josh Chatham. "Past indiscretions aside, Freeze is an offensive genius who took Liberty to heights this season that they never could have imagined. The baggage and Greg Sankey would be obstacles.

FREDDIE KITCHENS

• Last Stop: The current tight ends coach for the New York Giants, former Crimson Tide quarterback Freddie Kitchens worked for a lone 6-10 season as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.
• The Spin: "One name is former Alabama quarterback, New York Giants tight end coach Freddie Kitchens," writes Ronald Moody of FanSided. "If joining Saban’s coaching rehab has done wonders for Lane Kiffin, Michael Locksley, and Sarkisian, Kitchens should definitely be considered."

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