Nick Saban, Mack Brown, and more possible candidates for NCAA commissioner

While athletic departments, conferences, and more have their own commissioners, the NCAA as a whole is currently commissioner-less. Sure, there is a Board of Governors led by Charlie Baker but it simply isn't the same.

The NCAA has fallen into complete chaos, due in large part to too many voices having a say in how their program or their conference works, creating a massive lack of consistency across the country.

One idea for a fix that has been tossed into the universe by many people is an NCAA Commissioner, someone who creates a set of rules that apply to all conferences, all schools, and all teams.

The biggest discrepancies in collegiate athletics have been created by the great conference realignment and NIL deals, especially in college football. However, the aftermath is felt by all sports, from volleyball to track to basketball and more.

So, which figureheads have a sound-enough mind on their shoulders and a good-enough moral compass to lead the country to a less divided and more consistent future? These five candidates fit the bill pretty well:

The only man to truly knock Mike Krzyzewski down a peg throughout the illustrious careers and rivalry was none other than Roy Williams. There was no way that the Tar Heels would continue their dominance following the departure of Michael Jordan and historic head coach Dean Smith.

However, when Williams took over the program in the late '80s, he ensured that North Carolina would be a powerhouse for decades to come. Over his nearly four-decade-long tenure in Chapel Hill, Williams proved he had what it took to adapt, excel, and win.

While Williams isn't familiar with the world of football, the Tar Heels' basketball program is the driving force of collegiate athletics at UNC and he knows how to run that world, almost, unlike anyone else.

The winningest men's college basketball coach of all time. Mike Krzyzewski, yes Roy Williams' nemesis, was unmatched during his time with the Duke Blue Devils and his career will go without an equal for a long time to come.

With 1,202 wins and only 368 losses during his career, Krzyzewski came as close to owning men's college basketball during his time in Durham, not to mention five National Championships he collected along the way.

His utter dominance throughout his career and his distaste for losing are two characteristics that the NCAA should look for in regards to a possible commissioner. Similar to Williams, Krzyzewski never crossed over to the world of football but Duke is a basketball blue blood, just like UNC, and he certainly understands what it means to command college athletics.

The winningest head coach of all time, Tara VanDerveer hung up her whistle and clipboard following the conclusion of Stanford women's basketball 2023-24 season. With 1,216 wins and three national titles to her name, it seems impossible that she ever lost.

VanDerveer helped shape the world of women's sports, specifically women's basketball, over the turn of the century and turned the Cardinal into a powerhouse program. She earned five National Coach of the Year awards and 11 Pac-10/12 Coach of the Year awards.

Her knowledge of building up a program, finding success, and continuing greatness make her an incredible candidate for the NCAA Commissioner gig.

This man has done it all. Mack Brown has won 110 games and a National Championship and has since returned to the first school ever to give him a head coaching job at the then-Power Five level. After departing from the Texas Longhorns program, Brown returned to North Carolina to rebuild a struggling Tar Heel football team.

Many felt that Brown's career had run its course after he and the Horns lost the 2009 National Championship to Alabama and the Texas football program started to stutter. However, Brown has proven that he still has what it takes to win. His love for the game and for his athletes are exactly what the NCAA should look for if it ever finds the need for a commissioner.

The GOAT. Coach. The most dominant football coach of this century. Nick Saban has only just retired from his job with the Alabama Crimson Tide but his poise and joyousness on ESPN College GameDay has made him an even more beloved figure.

With his boundless knowledge of how collegiate athletics operate and his winning nature, Saban would make a perfect NCAA Commissioner. Not to mention, it seems like every time a conversation about college sports arises, Saban's name is brought up in connection to the possibility of a future commissioner job.

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