Giants coaching search: Nick Saban? Fun to talk about, but unlikely

It took maybe 30 seconds, probably less, after Alabama had defeated Clemson Monday night for the college football national championship for the Nick Saban to the New York Giants stuff to start on Twitter. Fans and media members alike couldn't resist throwing the Alabama coach's name into the mix as a replacement for Tom Coughlin.

I can’t wait to ask Nick Saban about that onside kick at his introductory Giants press conference next week.

— Bart Hubbuch (@BartHubbuch) January 12, 2016

The Giants need to do whatever it takes to get Nick Saban as coach.

— LeslieinFortLee (@DisgustedNYer) January 12, 2016

"Hi Nick, it's John Mara. Got a second to chat?" pic.twitter.com/jAYMvp2lx5

— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) January 12, 2016

If John Mara really wants the next coach of the Giants to have something to prove, Nick Saban should get a phone call tonight/tomorrow.

— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) January 12, 2016

Sure, the job is open. Sure, you should never say never. Sure, anything is possible. Thing is, when it comes to Saban to the Giants I agree completely with the sentiment shared by WFAN's Giants reporter Paul Dottino on Monday night.

don't get caught by foolish nonsense and hype -- would be more than SHOCKED if he becomes a candidate https://t.co/sgYnVBl6xn

— GiantsWFAN (@giantswfan) January 12, 2016

Why would Saban ever leave Alabama?

Saban has now coached the Crimson Tide to four national titles in seven years. There is some belief that he may end up being the greatest college football coach ever. At the very Saban has a chance to surpass the accomplishments of the legendary Bear Bryant at Alabama.

Saban has built a machine at Alabama. He gets great players. He's an icon. He can coach as long as he wants and always have coaches compared to him.

Would the guy really leave the best job he will ever have for the Giants? To scratch an NFL itch because his two-year tenure with the Miami Dolphins in 205 and 2006 was a failure? Nobody even knows if Saban really has an NFL itch at this point.

Sure, if you're the Giants and you are trying to replace an icon of your own in Tom Coughlin there's no harm in making a phone call. Maybe Saban would like a new challenge. Like Dottino, though, I would be shocked if he were to entertain leaving Alabama.

Why would the Giants hire Saban?

Yes, Saban is a great coach. Yes, given a better quarterback than Gus Frerotte or Joey Harrington -- the guys he had with the Dolphins -- Saban would probably be successful in the NFL.

To leave Alabama, though, Saban would likely ask for a king's ransom. Saban is already college football's highest-paid coach at more than $7 million annually.

Saban would likely want more than that, which might end up making him the NFL's highest-paid coach. He would likely want personnel control. That's something the Giants have never given anyone, including Super Bowl winning coaches Coughlin and Bill Parcells.

After basically choosing GM Jerry Reese over a potential Hall of Fame coach in Coughlin, are we really supposed to believe that Giants ownership would fire the GM to get Saban, abandoning a structure that has gotten them to five Super Bowls?

There is another reason this seems incredibly unlikely and Pro Football Talk hit on this months ago when PFT's Mike Florio wrote that "the Giants don't seem to be in the sizzle business. Hiring Saban would definitely fall into the sizzle category."

Desperation is not a good look, and basically crawling to Saban and giving him whatever he wants to come and rescue your franchise would be a desperation play. Besides, does that ever actually work?

PFT also pointed out that the Giants made a play for Saban before they hired Jim Fassel, and that Saban wanted personnel control way back then, which derailed the possibility.

Saban to the Giants is fun to talk about. Realistically, though, it would seem like a remote possibility at best.