Penn State has yet to hire a new head coach after firing James Franklin following a three-game slide in mid-October.
As the regular season draws to a close across college football, time is ticking for the Nittany Lions, who like other schools with open jobs, are looking to hire a new coach sooner rather than later.
One potential candidate for the job is former Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who is also a former offensive coordinator for Nick Saban at Alabama. Saban was asked about Daboll's potential candidacy in Happy Valley on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, and offered a strong endorsement for his former assistant.
"I love Brian Daboll and he did a great job here for us," Saban told McAfee. "I think it was a tough situation with the Giants, but he's a very good coach. He's a bright guy, a good recruiter, relates to players, a good teacher, good offensive mind. He'll put together a strong staff. I think that would be an outstanding hire."
"I love Brian Daboll and he did a great job here for us..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 26, 2025
He's a very good a coach and he's a great recruiter..
I think he would be an outstanding hire for Penn State" ~ Coach Saban #PMSLive https://t.co/gmqYpuhV2P pic.twitter.com/4tbV8eJdCu
Whoever replaces Franklin at Penn State will have plenty of resources to work with, as the Nittany Lions have one of the top football budgets in the Big Ten.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Nick Saban Expresses Confidence in Ex-Assistant's Candidacy for Penn State Head Coaching Job.
