The coaching search at the University of Michigan has reportedly taken a turn into the realm of the unbelievable, with sources indicating that Athletic Director Warde Manuel has made direct contact with legendary former Alabama coach Nick Saban regarding the Wolverines’ suddenly vacant head coaching position. The move, an act of sheer desperation and ambition, is an attempt to salvage a program completely engulfed by the catastrophic personal and legal scandals surrounding fired coach Sherrone Moore.n

Moore’s swift termination for an “inappropriate relationship” with a staffer, followed by his public divorce, alleged sexual coercion, and subsequent violent arrest, has plunged the reigning National Champions into a state of unprecedented chaos. Michigan’s immediate priority is to stop the roster bleed, maintain their elite recruiting class—including high-profile commits like quarterback Bryce Underwood—and restore the tarnished integrity of one of college football’s most prestigious programs. To achieve this impossible trifecta, the Wolverines are reportedly looking past traditional candidates and aiming for the only name that commands universal respect and fear: the seven-time national champion who retired just two seasons ago.

While most industry insiders view the possibility of Saban leaving retirement as remote—Saban himself cited the difficulty of the transfer portal, NIL demands, and the year-round grind as major factors in his decision to step away from Alabama in early 2024—the desperate circumstances at Michigan reportedly compelled Manuel to “at least pick up the phone and call.” For a coach who expressed frustration with the direction of the modern college game, returning to the field would require a massive shift in his philosophy. However, the Michigan job, one of the top-tier roles in the sport with elite resources and a clean slate following the departure of the previously scandal-laden staff, presents a unique challenge that could potentially appeal to Saban’s competitive nature, though the same pressures that led to his retirement are only intensifying.

The speculative link to Saban, along with other high-profile, unlikely names like Urban Meyer and current Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, underscores the immense pressure facing the Michigan administration. DeBoer, in particular, has been frequently linked to the job, given his Washington history and the massive expectations he faces replacing Saban in Tuscaloosa. However, the presence of Saban’s name in the conversation, even if only as a measure of the school’s audacious approach, instantly elevated the search from a typical coaching carousel scramble to a blockbuster scenario. If, by some miracle, Michigan could convince Saban to take the job, it would not only secure the roster and erase the recent scandal but instantly return the Wolverines to the top tier of national title contention, forever changing the trajectory of the Big Ten and the entire sport.