The possibility of college football completely breaking away from the NCAA has been debated and opined about in the era of name, image and likeness and conference realignment.
Should it ever get to that point, Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin knows who he would want to serve as commissioner: Nick Saban.
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Penn State head coach James Franklin talks with an official during the second half against SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
“I think one of the most important things we can do is, let’s get a commissioner of college football that is waking up every single morning and going to bed every single night making decisions that’s in the best interest of college football,” Franklin said Sunday ahead of the Fiesta Bowl, via ESPN.
“I think Nick Saban would be the obvious choice if we made that decision. Now, Nick will probably call me tonight and say, ‘Don’t do this,’ but I think he’s the obvious choice, right?”
Franklin said having a commissioner would be the first and important step to start solving some of the problems that coaches and athletic directors have been talking about for the last five years.
He even floated nixing conference title games and shortening the season with a focus on the academic calendar.
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Feb. 17, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama: Alabama Crimson Tide former head football coach Nick Saban looks on during a basketball game between Alabama and the Texas A&M Aggies at Coleman Coliseum. (Gary Cosby Jr.-USA Today Sports)
“God forbid we talk about academics, right?” he added. “That used to be every conversation started with academics and that’s becoming less and less. Maybe I’m old school and maybe I’m a traditionalist, but I still believe in the model. Rather than just say this is a problem, I thought I would throw out a few recommendations, but I think one of the most important things we can do is let’s get a commissioner of college football.”
College football coaches have been especially concerned with the transfer portal and having the window open during bowl season.
“I feel so awful for our kids and kids around the country,” SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee said on Tuesday, via ESPN. “There’s no other sport at all that has free agency in the season. It’s sad. It’s terrible. You hear the story about their backup quarterback saying, ‘I don’t have a choice.’ That’s wrong. That’s unacceptable. That’s not OK. He shouldn’t have to make that decision.’
“The real easy thing is you don’t have a transfer portal in December. That’s the real easy answer, and it solves all the problems. Why in the world would we put kids in a position where they’ve got to decide, ‘Do I transfer or play in the playoff? Do I transfer or play my bowl game?…’ People are bombarding our roster, trying to pick people off our roster, and we’re trying to focus on the playoff. So, yeah, it’s real easy – don’t have a transfer portal in December. Go to the spring.”
Penn State linebacker Dominic DeLuca celebrates an interception for a touchdown with head coach James Franklin against SMU during the first half in the first round of the NCAA College Football Playoff, on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
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For now, college football is still under the NCAA.
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