The North Carolina Tar Heels can apparently cross one name off their list of potential head coaches.
Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said Friday that the Crimson Tide are “working on” a new contract for current coach Nate Oats. Byrne made clear that Alabama is very pleased with the work Oats has done, and that talks over a new contract are in progress.
“We’re working on that,” Byrne said Friday, via Charlie Potter of On3. “He’s been very good his entire time here about working with us on his contract. That hasn’t changed. And so, we’re working on that right now.”
Byrne’s comments largely echo the ones Oats made on Thursday. He downplayed talk of moving to North Carolina and said he had “no reason” to want to leave Alabama.
Oats’ name popped up in a great deal of speculation about the North Carolina job after Hubert Davis was fired earlier this week. He has gone 170-72 since taking over at Alabama, and led the school to the Final Four in 2024. He has an opportunity to do that again in 2026, as the Crimson Tide face Michigan on Friday for a chance to go to the Elite Eight for what would be a third straight season.
The Tar Heels are known to be aiming high in their search for a new head coach, but for the moment, we have heard more about those who are out of the mix than we have about those who still are.
