The Coaching Carousel & The Job Market: You Can’t Recruit a Saban Without Building a Crimson Tide

If you know me, you know two things are true:

I love strategy… and I love football — especially my Alabama Crimson Tide.

So as I watch the college football coaching carousel spin year after year, I can’t help but see the exact same dysfunction playing out in today’s job market.

Programs firing coaches.

Companies letting go of executives.

Then everyone says the same thing:

“We’re waiting on the perfect fit.”

“We want top-tier talent.”

“We’re holding out for excellence.”

But here’s the problem:

You can’t recruit Nick Saban-level talent while offering a community college infrastructure.

Stop Singing Saban’s Name Without Building His System

Yes, Nick Saban is legendary.

But let’s not pretend his success is magic.

He didn’t just show up with a whistle and vibes.

He brought:

• Structure

• Discipline

• Systems

• Player development

• Culture

• Resources

• Accountability

• Adaptability

• A vision that evolved with the game

Alabama didn’t just get a great coach — they built an ecosystem that allowed greatness to thrive.

Now compare that to what many companies are doing today.

They want:

• Rockstar executives

• Unicorn candidates

• Visionary leaders

• “Game changers”

But refuse to provide:

• Functional infrastructure

• Clear expectations

• Real authority

• Adequate compensation

• Supportive teams

• Modern tools

• Psychological safety

• Room for innovation

You can’t demand championship results with JV-level investment.

The Perfect Candidate Myth

Companies keep saying they’re waiting for the “perfect candidate.”

But perfect for what?

• Perfect to walk into chaos and magically fix it?

• Perfect to carry under-resourced teams?

• Perfect to accept salary cuts for executive-level responsibility?

• Perfect to build systems with no budget?

That’s not perfection. That’s desperation disguised as high standards.

Meanwhile, the market is full of talented professionals — adaptable, capable, innovative leaders who are willing to step in, transform, and scale organizations. But they’re not accepting roles where they’re set up to fail.

And they shouldn’t.

Great Coaches Adjust. So Should Great Organizations.

One thing Saban mastered? Adaptation.

He evolved his recruiting style.

Modernized his offensive strategy.

Changed with the times.

Successful organizations do the same:

• They recognize market shifts

• They evolve leadership expectations

• They revisit compensation structures

• They modernize culture

• They invest in people as assets, not expenses

The best talent doesn’t just want prestige.

They want purpose, stability, support, and strategy.

If You Want a Championship Team, Start Acting Like One

You don’t get Alabama results by operating like a struggling program.

You get them by:

✔ Building strong infrastructure

✔ Creating leadership pipelines

✔ Investing in training & development

✔ Setting realistic expectations

✔ Offering competitive compensation

✔ Fostering adaptable cultures

✔ Supporting your leaders, not sabotaging them

You must define your system before you demand superstar performance.

At CREE Consulting, we help organizations stop chasing mythical talent and start building environments where real talent thrives.

We ask the uncomfortable but necessary questions:

• Is your structure actually designed for success?

• Are you hiring leaders or setting them up as fall guys?

• Does your internal culture align with your external expectations?

• Are you attracting elite talent—or repelling it?

Because here’s the truth:

The best candidates are not avoiding work.

They’re avoiding broken systems.

Final Whistle

Don’t keep singing Saban’s name while offering tryouts with no playbook.

If you want elite performance, elite leadership, and elite results — your organization must match that energy.

Great candidates are out there.

The question is: are you offering a program worth committing to?

Ready to Build Your Championship Infrastructure?

Let CREE Consulting help you transform outdated systems into high-performing organizations built for long-term success and elite talent retention.

📌 Book your Organizational Strategy Consultation today

👉 www.CreeConsulting.com

Stop spinning the carousel.

Start building the dynasty.