Commissioner Saban? Chris Petersen thinks the Alabama coach would be a 'great one'

The Washington coach thinks college football could use someone to drive the wheel for the future

ATLANTA -- Washington coach Chris Petersen has an idea of who could be a "great" college football commissioner: Nick Saban. Petersen made the remark Friday at a Peach Bowl press conference when asked if there are a couple names each coach has for a commissioner position that is in theory only.

"Yes, and I think Coach Saban would be a great one," Petersen said, drawing a humorous sideways stare by Saban.

"I don't know about that," said Saban, who recommended Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez for the make-believe role.

Saban, among other coaches, has been a big proponent for a while of having a commissioner run college football. He amended that slightly Friday by saying there could be a commissioner or a committee of people who "could sort of drive the wheel a little bit in terms of what some of the problems facing our game are in the future," such as the recruiting calendar, transfers and NFL Draft early entrants.

I've been on record that the idea won't and shouldn't happen. Could you imagine conferences actually give up power and, by having a commissioner for football, essentially tell the general public college football is pro sports? (Of course, it is.)

Go look at the NFL and see how the one-power, one-voice approach is working at times for Roger Goodell. A college football commissioner would have to set up his or her own bureaucracy. The commissioner would be pulled in far too many different directions and have to answer to many more people than Goodell faces with 32 NFL franchises.

If college coaches want more of a voice, they're better off staying active on issues by pushing the American Football Coaches Association to be more proactive and joining committees. The NCAA now has a Football Oversight Committee and Football Competition Committee that includes coaches. They should push for more coaches on those committees -- assuming coaches have the time and interest to dig into the weeds on issues.

One person can't suddenly correct the perceived problems of college football. And who's to say some of the issues are even problems? What if people disagree with the commissioner's ideas? Do the players get a voice in these perceived problems? After all, in pro sports, one of the commissioner's major roles is to negotiate collective bargaining agreements with the players.

Still, Petersen's suggestion provided a priceless reaction by Saban. There was no word of whether Petersen wants Saban to become commissioner before kickoff on Saturday.