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Nick Saban is already being linked to the Penn State job

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Oct 15, 2025 7:44 PM ET

The Penn State job is one of the biggest in college football , so Nick Saban is being linked to it whether he likes it or not.

Leading analyst thinks Penn State should target Nick Saban

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt quickly threw out Saban’s name in relation to the Penn State job during a Wednesday appearance on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.” Klatt suggested Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft should take “the biggest swing possible,” no matter how unlikely it is that Saban would listen to the pitch.

“If I was Pat Kraft, I would start with the biggest swing possible. I know this sounds crazy, but I think the first call I would make is Nick Saban. Just make sure that’s not going to happen,” Klatt said.

"If I was Pat Kraft, I would start with the biggest swing possible. I know this sounds crazy, but I think the first call I would make is Nick Saban." – Joel Klatt on Penn State's coaching search pic.twitter.com/eKdoQx7zyD
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 15, 2025

There is, of course, no harm in asking Saban about the job from Penn State’s point of view. It just should not be surprised when he says no, as he has made it quite clear that he is fully retired. Plus, even if he did want to come back, he would have his pick of jobs, and he does not seem super enthusiastic about the Big Ten.

Penn State is in the market for a new coach after firing James Franklin on Sunday. A number of big names have been linked to the job, but Saban is almost certainly not going to be one of them.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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