Oregon coach Dan Lanning reportedly 'top target' in Alabama coaching search

PORTLAND, Ore. (Portland Tribune) -- With the shocking announcement of Alabama football head coach Nick Saban's retirement, it hasn't taken long for names to be thrown around to become the heir to the crimson and white. 

ESPN's Pete Thamel posted on social media that Alabama does not likely have an internal candidate to pass the team to. Thamel included six names that the Crimson Tide will likely be targeting, all of which are entrenched head coaches: Washington's Kalen DeBoer, Clemson's Dabo Swiney, Penn State's James Franklin, Florida State's Mike Norvell, Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman and finally, Oregon's Dan Lanning. 

Brett McMurphy of Action Network followed this up by saying a source from within Alabama said Lanning would be the "top target" to follow Saban. 

Lanning is no stranger to the Tide, as he served under Saban as a grad assistant in 2015 before moving on to Memphis. 

Should Lanning change his mind and take the Alabama job, it would require a $20 million dollar buy out of his current contract, per Pete Thamel. Lanning is currently under contract with Oregon through 2028 at a rate of $8 million per year. 

Read more at Portlandtribune.com

The Portland Tribune and its parent company Pamplin Media Group are KOIN 6 News media partners