Alabama AD Greg Byrne put kibosh on Crimson Tide hiring two-time champion coach after Nick Saban’s retirement

Alabama Crimson Tide fans can thank Greg Byrne for the program settling on Kalen DeBoer as Nick Saban’s successor in Tuscaloosa after his January 2024 retirement and not thinking outside the box with an alum with two College Football Playoff National Championships on his resume.

According to college football insider Chris Low, Byrne shut down the idea of Dabo Swinney replacing Saban even after the two head coaches had a phone call about where the Clemson Tigers coach was in his career.

Low admitted he didn’t know if Swinney would’ve taken the job, though the former ESPN reporter conceded that he would’ve strongly considered it. Low just knows Byrne was never going to offer it.

“Nick called Dabo the next morning just to talk to him after Nick had announced he was retiring,” Low said on the “Beat Everybody” podcast.

“But he did call Dabo. More out of respect because they’re close, to let him know what’s going through his mind. And just to talk to him about where Dabo was in his career.

“I don’t think Dabo was ever really seriously in consideration as far as Greg Byrne was concerned.

“He had a great thing going, been there a long time. It’s sort of in his own blood. He loved Alabama and always will.

“If he had an offer, that would’ve been a tough decision for him.”

Low did Byrne no favors here. After a 73-0 win over the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks, the DeBoer scrutiny is lower. But Susie Conerly of Guntersville, Alabama, just went viral for claiming the first thing she’d do if she won the $1.8 billion Powerball is pay DeBoer’s $70 million buyout figure for a reason. It resonated with Crimson Tide fans.

DeBoer better keep the winning going against the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday. For his and Byrne’s sake.