As the Penn State coaching search (maybe?) nears its finish line, arguably the greatest coach to ever to it gave some input on who he thinks PSU should hire.
For Nick Saban, Brian Daboll would be an excellent choice for Penn State AD Pat Kraft to make.
Daboll had previously been the New York Giants’ boss before his firing earlier this month.
He had been the Giants’ head coach since 2022, and his first season was a big success. The Giants finished 10-8-1, won a Playoff game, and Daboll earned Coach of the Year honors for his efforts.
Before Daboll returned to the NFL, he was Saban’s offensive coordinator, helping Alabama to a national title in 2017.
WHAT SABAN SAID
“He’s a very good coach,” Saban said on the Pat McAfee show. “He’s a bright guy, he’s a good recruiter, he relates well to the players, he’s a good teacher, he’s got a good offensive mind, he’ll be able to put a good staff together. I think that would be an outstanding hire.”
There’s evidence that Daboll is a “very good coach.” Along with his work at Alabama and the Giants, Daboll was the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator from 2018-21, helping Josh Allen develop into a superstar QB.
It’s hard to tell whether Daboll is a “good recruiter” since the only time he’s spent coaching the college game was 2017, not counting two seasons as a graduate assistant with Saban at Michigan State.
But if Nick Saban says somebody can recruit, they can probably recruit.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.IS SABAN RIGHT?
So is Saban right about Daboll?
It’s hard to say.
Perhaps the biggest drawback to Daboll coming to Penn State is that he hasn’t been a “college guy.”
Of his 28 seasons coaching football, only three of them have been at the college level.
After Michigan State, Daboll joined Bill Belichick’s first staff in New England, and spent seven seasons there, winning three Super Bowls.
After stints in Cleveland, New York (Jets), Miami and Kansas City, Daboll returned to New England, where he won another Super Bowl in 2014 as the tight ends coach.
Daboll is a winner. But how will that translate to the college game?
Wayne Wow
November 27, 2025 at 11:36 am
But, Would he be another Bill Obrian who would jump back to the NFL at the first opportunity or if things got a little tough. Also ask Barkley what he thinks of him
Mario
November 27, 2025 at 10:46 pm
Brian Daboll coached both Tua and Hurts at Bama during the NC winning season in 2017. I don’t think that PSU would go wrong with him.