5 coaches from Nick Saban coaching tree ruling college football ft. Steve Sarkisian

Nick Saban is considered one of the best college football coaches of all time. After 17 seasons with Alabama, he decided to retire in January. Now, Saban is enjoying his new profession in the world of broadcasting as an analyst of the game.

Apart from the various national championships and other titles he won, Nick Saban also helped some well-known head coaches bloom into the people we know today.

Here are five coaches from Saban's coaching tree who are currently leading some of the best programs in modern college football.

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5 coaches from Nick Saban's coaching tree ruling college football

#1 Kirby Smart (Georgia Bulldogs head coach)

Kirby Smart is one such person who has come a long way in his coaching career. When Nick Saban was the head coach of the LSU Tigers from 2000-04, he hired Smart as his defensive backs coach.

After one season, Smart spent another year with Saban in the NFL as the Dolphins' safeties coach.

In 2007, Saban decided to join the Crimson Tide during which he led them to six national titles in 17 seasons. He was reunited with Kirby Smart again when he hired him as the defensive backs coach. Saban then promoted him as the defensive coordinator in 2008 and Smart held that position for seven seasons.

In 2016, Kirby Smart was announced as the 26th head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs. And so far, he's led the program to three SEC conference titles and two national championships.

Smart is in the midst of his ninth season with the Bulldogs and is aiming for another natty.

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#2 Steve Sarkisian (Texas Longhorns head coach)

Another well-known head coach who worked under Nick Saban was Steve Sarkisian. He already had head coaching experiences with Washington and USC. Saban then hired Sarkisian as the Crimson Tide's analyst in 2016.

He was then promoted as the offensive coordinator of the team when Lane Kiffin left for Florida Atlantic. Sark then decided to join the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL in 2017 and spent two seasons with them.

He was then brought back by Nick Saban as the OC in 2019 and helped Alabama win the natty during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.

Then in 2021, Sarkisian was announced as the head coach of the Texas Longhorns and is in the midst of his fourth campaign with the team.

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#3 Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss head coach)

Rebels HC Lane Kiffin is another well-known name whose career flourished under the guidance of Nick Saban in Alabama. Kiffin became the head coach of USC in 2010 but was fired because of the team's underwhelming performance in 2013.

That is when Nick Saban hired Lane Kiffin as the team's offensive coordinator in 2014. He was a part of the 2015 Crimson Tide coaching staff that went on to become the national champions. In 2017, he decided to accept the head coaching position at Florida Atlantic.

After three seasons, Lane Kiffin was announced as the Rebels' 39th head coach. He is currently in the midst of his fifth season with the program and has yet to add a major trophy to his cabinet.

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#4 Dan Lanning (Oregon Ducks head coach)

Dan Lanning also has experience being a part of Nick Saban's coaching staff. He spent one season as the defensive backs and co-recruiting coordinator of Sam Houston State before joining Saban's Crimson Tide in 2015.

Dan Lanning spent one season as a graduate assistant in Alabama. That season, the Crimson Tide defeated Clemson to become the national champions.

Lanning then had short stints in various coaching positions with Memphis and Georgia. He was then hired to become Oregon's head coach in 2022.

Last season, Dan Lanning helped the Ducks to the Pac-12 championship game where they unfortunately lost to Washington.

They are currently in the midst of their new journey in the Big Ten conference with an 8-0 record so far. The Ducks are considered to be a strong contender for the new 12-team playoffs.

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#5 Mario Cristobal (Miami Hurricanes head coach)

Mario Cristobal also had the opportunity to work with Nick Saban at Alabama. When he was fired by Florida International, Saban brought him in as the team's assistant head coach, offensive line coach, and recruiting coordinator in 2013.

Mario Cristobal spent four seasons with the Crimson Tide. During this time, they went on to win three SEC titles and one national championship.

In 2017, Cristobal joined Oregon as the offensive line coach before being announced as the head coach in December 2017.

He then decided to join Miami in 2021. So far in his third campaign with the Hurricanes, Cristobal has managed to put up an undefeated eight-game winning streak.

It will be interesting to see if he can led them to a potential conference title and playoff berth this season.