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Saban Staying At LSU
Although some work remains to be done on a new contract, ESPN.com has learned that Nick Saban will spurn the Chicago Bears and stay as head coach at LSU.
The contract with LSU will be completed in the next few days. It will be for six to nine years and will be worth $2.7 million-$3 million annually.
Under his existing contract, Saban already is the highest-paid coach in college football at about $2.3 million. That contract stipulates that if Saban won the national title, he would be paid one dollar more than the previous highest-paid coach. Until the contract clause kicked in, that was Bob Stoops of Oklahoma, beaten by Saban and LSU in last Sunday's Sugar Bowl.
Saban spent much of Saturday mulling the chance to become head coach of the Bears, after meeting with team officials for several hours Friday. A source close to Saban said the call was "a tough one" but that Saban is very comfortable with the decision and looks forward to a long career in Baton Rouge.
Last Sunday, Saban led the Tigers to the BCS portion of the national championship. In four seasons at LSU, he has a 39-13 record. His overall record as a college head coach is 82-39-1. Prior to accepting the LSU job in 2000, he served as head coach at Toledo in 1990 and at Michigan State 1995-99.
Counted out by the Atlanta Falcons just one day earlier, Saban was courted like coaching royalty on Friday during interviews with Bears executives.
The interview, in Baton Rouge, began early in the afternoon and lasted well into the night before adjourning.
The Bears did not formally tender Saban a job offer on Friday. But team officials, led by general manager Jerry Angelo, were said to have made it clear to Saban that the position was his if he wanted to move to the NFL. Angelo and Saban have been close friends for years, and speak frequently by phone. There has never been much doubt that the Bears would pursue the LSU coach once the Tigers finished their Sugar Bowl appearance.
On Saturday morning, Saban's agent Jimmy Sexton and Bears president Ted Phillips negotiated but could not strike a deal.
Saban, 52, has been a target of several NFL teams in recent years. Last year, he quietly interviewed for the Jacksonville Jaguars opening. A year earlier, he had informal discussions with the Tampa Bay Bucs after Tony Dungy was dismissed.
In part because of the relationship with Angelo, he has been linked to the Chicago job for more than a year now. The Bears had decided not to advance their search significantly before determining Saban's plans.
Angelo had interviewed San Francisco defensive coordinator Jim Mora -- hired as head coach by the Falcons on Friday -- earlier in the week and met with defensive coordinators Lovie Smith of St. Louis and Romeo Crennel of New England last week. An interview with Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, originally scheduled for Thursday, was canceled by the team.
ESPN.com also learned that the Bears sought and were granted permission Friday by the Pittsburgh Steelers to interview offensive line coach Russ Grimm. Such a meeting will not come until next week.
Evidently, the Bears will not interview Tennessee offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, according to league sources.
The Bears fired coach Dick Jauron on Dec. 29, the day after the season ended, following five seasons and an overall record of 35-46. The Bears, who were 13-3 in 2001 when they claimed their first division title since 1990, were just 11-21 in the following two seasons.
source: espn
The contract with LSU will be completed in the next few days. It will be for six to nine years and will be worth $2.7 million-$3 million annually.
Under his existing contract, Saban already is the highest-paid coach in college football at about $2.3 million. That contract stipulates that if Saban won the national title, he would be paid one dollar more than the previous highest-paid coach. Until the contract clause kicked in, that was Bob Stoops of Oklahoma, beaten by Saban and LSU in last Sunday's Sugar Bowl.
Saban spent much of Saturday mulling the chance to become head coach of the Bears, after meeting with team officials for several hours Friday. A source close to Saban said the call was "a tough one" but that Saban is very comfortable with the decision and looks forward to a long career in Baton Rouge.
Last Sunday, Saban led the Tigers to the BCS portion of the national championship. In four seasons at LSU, he has a 39-13 record. His overall record as a college head coach is 82-39-1. Prior to accepting the LSU job in 2000, he served as head coach at Toledo in 1990 and at Michigan State 1995-99.
Counted out by the Atlanta Falcons just one day earlier, Saban was courted like coaching royalty on Friday during interviews with Bears executives.
The interview, in Baton Rouge, began early in the afternoon and lasted well into the night before adjourning.
The Bears did not formally tender Saban a job offer on Friday. But team officials, led by general manager Jerry Angelo, were said to have made it clear to Saban that the position was his if he wanted to move to the NFL. Angelo and Saban have been close friends for years, and speak frequently by phone. There has never been much doubt that the Bears would pursue the LSU coach once the Tigers finished their Sugar Bowl appearance.
On Saturday morning, Saban's agent Jimmy Sexton and Bears president Ted Phillips negotiated but could not strike a deal.
Saban, 52, has been a target of several NFL teams in recent years. Last year, he quietly interviewed for the Jacksonville Jaguars opening. A year earlier, he had informal discussions with the Tampa Bay Bucs after Tony Dungy was dismissed.
In part because of the relationship with Angelo, he has been linked to the Chicago job for more than a year now. The Bears had decided not to advance their search significantly before determining Saban's plans.
Angelo had interviewed San Francisco defensive coordinator Jim Mora -- hired as head coach by the Falcons on Friday -- earlier in the week and met with defensive coordinators Lovie Smith of St. Louis and Romeo Crennel of New England last week. An interview with Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, originally scheduled for Thursday, was canceled by the team.
ESPN.com also learned that the Bears sought and were granted permission Friday by the Pittsburgh Steelers to interview offensive line coach Russ Grimm. Such a meeting will not come until next week.
Evidently, the Bears will not interview Tennessee offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, according to league sources.
The Bears fired coach Dick Jauron on Dec. 29, the day after the season ended, following five seasons and an overall record of 35-46. The Bears, who were 13-3 in 2001 when they claimed their first division title since 1990, were just 11-21 in the following two seasons.
source: espn