Nick Saban retiring at Alabama could have a huge affect on the ACC

Wednesday was a big news day in terms of football coaches in the NFL. In the afternoon, it was announced that former USC coach and Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was not returning to the Northwest as Seattle's coach. Later in the afternoon, Nick Saban, who won six National Championships at Alabama and one at LSU, reportedly told his team that he too is retiring, ending a very successful era at Alabama, according to ESPN.

In all honesty, it's very surprising to see the 72-year-old Saban retiring as it's clear that he still has a lot of left on the Crimson Tide sideline. However, now that the job is open, it's going to be a job that has several high-profile names attached to it, which should include some ACC head coaches.

How Nick Saban retiring can affect the ACC as soon as 2024

One name that will be tied to the Alabama job is Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. He has turned the Tigers into one of the ACC's top teams and getting them to the College Football Playoff. This season was a down season for them in terms of record, 9-4, but there's no denying how well Swinney has done in recruiting and winning on the field. Saban's retirement has been a subject of topic before and Swinney has always been thought of as one of his replacements at Alabama.

Another name to watch in the coaching search is Mike Norvell at Florida State. He just led the Seminoles to a 13-0 season before losing to Georgia in the Orange Bowl, but his team was left out of the four-team College Football Playoff, mainly because they lost their starting quarterback, Jordan Travis, in November to a season-ending injury.

It's no secret that Norvell has been sour about his team being left out of the CFP and rightfully so. He has turned Florida State into one of the top programs in the coutnry, getting them back to the Bobby Bowden days. He is in the process of reloading them for 2024, but this could change things. You have to think that he is going to garner some interest and this may be a tempting job for him to pursue.

There is no doubt that Swinney and Norvell will have their names linked to the Alabama job and if one decides to make the move to the Crimson Tide in the SEC, it will have effects on the ACC as soon as this upcoming season. If Swinney or Norvell head to Tuscaloosa, they could bring some of their current players or recruits with them. This is worth keeping an eye on if you're an ACC fan.