Alabama football fans on point with 'Anyone but Dabo' chants

A few years ago, Dabo Swinney would have seemed like a no-brainer for Alabama football if the Crimson Tide needed a replacement for Nick Saban.

But after Dabo's most recent national championship win, which came back after the 2018 season, the shine has worn off. Saban, who surprised the college football world on Wednesday by announcing his retirement, has caused a sea change in the sport.

We can certainly debate why the time was right for Saban right now. However, the biggest question is who will replace the greatest college football head coach in history?

There are reports that Dan Lanning could be the favorite. Or is at least the guy that Alabama wants. We have laid out some other candidates that could be ideal for Alabama football.

However, a big group of Alabama football fans are making it well known who they don't want and that's Dabo Swinney. A group of fans even started chanting, "Anyone but Dabo" at a rally to mourn the retirement of the seven-time national champion.

It's harsh but the Clemson Tigers haven't been relevant on the national scale since the departure of Trevor Lawrence. They did win the ACC championship after the 2022 season, but that's not hard to do. Clemson's former five-star quarterback Cade Klubnik hasn't been all that great and it just doesn't seem like Dabo is up to the challenge of replacing Nick Saban.

It's fair to ask who is? I don't see Kirby Smart leaving Georgia for Alabama -- not after what he built and I really don't see Steve Sarkisian or Lane Kiffin being the top targets either. Maybe if Lanning says no, the Tide would target Kalen DeBoer of Washington but it's clear who the fans don't want.

And the Alabama football fans that don't want Dabo aren't wrong.