From the ShaqFu Radio Blog editors: Seems our man Shaq is really (really!) pushing to have former Alabama coach Nick Saban considered for LSU’s next head football coach. Saban himself has been quiet about the idea, but the Big Fella continues to make the push. Here’s the latest…
In 2025, Shaquille O’Neal isn’t just talking hoops—he’s breaking news about his beloved LSU Tigers and their search for a new head football coach following the firing of Brian Kelly. And when “The Big Diesel” speaks, the sports world listens.
“I heard through the grapevine that they were having conversations with Nick Saban,” O’Neal told Us Weekly. “That’d be awesome if we can bring Nick back.”
It’s the kind of headline that feels both wild and perfectly on-brand for the modern sports media era—where larger-than-life personalities like Shaq can drop news that shakes up college football Twitter in seconds. And sure, we might take it with a Shaq-sized grain of salt, but this one hits differently.
O’Neal isn’t just any celebrity fan speculating from afar. He is LSU. The two-time SEC Player of the Year (1989–1992) has stayed connected to the school long after his basketball dominance. Just last summer, he announced plans to become the first investor in LSU’s proposed new arena, proving that his Tiger pride runs deep—and that his influence in Baton Rouge extends far beyond the basketball court.
So when Shaq says he’s “heard conversations” between LSU and seven-time national champion Nick Saban, it’s worth listening. After all, Saban’s college football résumé is unmatched—six national titles at Alabama from 2007 to 2023, and one unforgettable championship with LSU back in 2003. That title helped put LSU football on the national map and cemented Saban as one of the greatest coaches in history.
A return to Baton Rouge, however unlikely, would make poetic sense. Saban knows the Tiger culture, the expectations, and the pressure that comes with LSU football. His tenure from 2000 to 2004 produced a stellar 48–16 record, and his departure left a void LSU has struggled to completely fill since. Brian Kelly’s 34–14 mark over four seasons was solid, but not spectacular. He simply couldn’t get LSU “over the hump” in big games—something Shaq says the next hire must change.
“I know it will definitely be a winner and I know it’ll be somebody that’s in line with our culture,” Shaq said. “I know it’s somebody who’s going to bring us back to winning. We realize if you lose more than two games, we don’t get a significant bowl game.”
Those are the words of a man who still bleeds purple and gold. Whether his “grapevine” scoop turns into reality or just fuels a week’s worth of headlines, one thing’s for sure—when Shaquille O’Neal talks LSU football, the sports world tunes in. And if he’s right? A Nick Saban–LSU reunion might be one of the wildest—and most electrifying—stories college football has seen in years.