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Update: University of Texas president Bill Powers was asked about Saban on Thursday by the American-Statesman, responding: "I've never met Nick Saban. I've never talked to Nick Saban. We have not hired Nick Saban. Mack's our coach, and I can say flatly that the rumors we have hired or come to an agreement with Nick Saban or even talked to him are false."
The rumor that's been shot down on several occasions just refuses to die: Nick Saban is or is not going to be the next Texas Longhorns football coach. In truth, he's not, but that didn't a dubious report claiming otherwise from surfacing late Wednesday.
The latest Saban-to-Texas report was attributed to 104.9 The Horn out of Austin, a Texas-centric radio station. However, the radio hosts were apparently making fun of a report linking the Alabama head coach to Austin, and not actually making the report themselves. Either way, Twitter was set ablaze as soon as the latest talk of Saban as Texas head coach began.
Nick Saban to Texas, Jon Gruden to Alabama, Urban Meyer to MNF, Saban then to Ohio State, Texas names Bevo coach #SOURCES
— Adam Kramer (@KegsnEggs) December 5, 2013
These Nick Saban to Texas reports/rumors are now reaching the "holy #@$% this could actually be real" phase.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 5, 2013
What if Saban and Malzahn are both going to Texas? ULTIMATE TEAM UP!
— sir broosk (@celebrityhottub) December 5, 2013
The station, you know? The station with the sources. RT @adamgorney: Which Austin radio station is reporting Saban to #Texas?
— Justin Hokanson (@JHokanson) December 5, 2013
"It was back in 2013. 104.9 The Horn in Texas was the first to report Saban to the Horns and I knew who the new leader in news was."
— Blake Ells (@blakeells) December 5, 2013
nick saban to (eat) texas (toast) more at 11
— martin rickman (@martinrickman) December 5, 2013
Texas recently underwent a change of athletic directors, hiring Steve Patterson to replace longtime AD DeLoss Dodds. With the change at the top of the athletic department, many have speculated that Patterson will want to move on from Mack Brown and install his own man as head football coach. And when it was reported that Saban's agent had contact with a former UT regent, buzz of the potential high-profile move reached an all-time high.
However, Saban's wife has denied interest, Vegas doesn't think there's interest and even Saban himself has denied interest. Also: one major Texas booster says Brown isn't in danger of losing his job. Based on all that, it doesn't seem likely that any discussion linking the four-time national title winner to the Longhorns have any merit. But that won't stop the rumor mill from churning.
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