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Alabama Football: 3 realistic candidates to replace Steve Sarkisian as OC

By Michael Hanich

Nov 7, 2020; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas head coach Tom Herman leads his team during warmups before the game against West Virginia at Royal-Memorial Stadium on Saturday November 7, 2020. Mandatory Credit: Jay Janner-USA TODAY NETWORK
Nov 7, 2020; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas head coach Tom Herman leads his team during warmups before the game against West Virginia at Royal-Memorial Stadium on Saturday November 7, 2020. Mandatory Credit: Jay Janner-USA TODAY NETWORK /
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AUSTIN, TX – SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Tom Herman of the Texas Longhorns watches players warm up before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 21, 2019, in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX – SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Tom Herman of the Texas Longhorns watches players warm up before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 21, 2019, in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

1. Tom Herman

The potential offensive coordinator that Tide Nation is looking at the most is the former Texas head coach Tom Herman. With the Longhorns getting Steve Sarkisian, Saban could be looking at Herman for a chance to develop and quickly rebound.

The 45-year-old coach has an extensive record of creating high-caliber offenses.

Herman has been an offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach from 2005-2014 for four different programs. During that time, he created four top-25 scoring and total offenses and three top-10 scoring and total offenses.

During his last year as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, the Buckeyes were ranked fifth in the nation in points per game (44.8) and ninth in total yards per game (511.6). This was the season when they lost quarterbacks Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett and had to rely on their third-string quarterback in Cardale Jones in the final three games of the season. The Buckeyes’ offense, led by Jones and running back Ezekiel Elliot, helped them win the national title.

Herman took over the head coaching duties with the Houston Cougars from 2015-16 where he got the team to an overall record of 22-4. He was then hired to be the head coach of the Longhorns, which is a program that demands immediate progress. There was hope for the Longhorns when Herman brought a 10-4 overall record including the 2019 Sugar Bowl win over the Georgia Bulldogs.

Despite the Longhorns posting a 15-8 overall record over the past two seasons, they decided to let Herman walk as they needed new direction. Despite four bowl wins and potential progress in four seasons, Herman was shown that the program gives their coaches a short leash.

Going back to being an offensive coordinator once again will not be a negative outlook as he will get a chance to rebuild himself at Alabama. Sarkisian was a potential future head coach of Alabama once Saban retires but it would not be a surprise if Herman was brought in to be groomed to be Saban’s replacement.

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