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Alabama AD Greg Byrne on Nate Oats' future: 'He's not going anywhere'

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Nate Oats’ name has been brought up in North Carolina’s search for a new head coach, but the Alabama coach appears to be staying in Tuscaloosa, per UA director of athletics Greg Byrne.

One day after the Crimson Tide’s 2025-26 season ended in the Sweet 16, Byrne shared a photo with Oats with the caption, “We are good! He’s not going anywhere!”

Oats addressed the potential interest from UNC and other schools ahead of Alabama’s Sweet 16 matchup with Michigan on Thursday, stating his comfort level with his current situation.

“There’s absolutely no reason to leave here,” Oats said in Chicago. “While it’s flattering that a high school guy that caught a couple breaks would be mentioned in some of these jobs, because they’ve got a lot of tradition, I’m not a guy that’s looking to get out of here any time soon.  I love it here. My girls love it here. I love working with the people of Alabama.

“Yeah, names are going to get mentioned. I’m probably one of 10 or 12. It is what it is. That’s the business. But I haven’t talked to anybody in order to plan on talking to anybody.”

Oats is in his seventh season at Alabama, where he has guided the Tide men’s basketball team to a 170-73 (87-38 SEC) record. Oats has coached in six straight NCAA Tournaments, including five Sweet 16s, two Elite Eights and Alabama’s first Final Four, and won a pair of SEC regular-season and tournament titles. His 13 March Madness wins are the most in UA history.

Oats said he doesn’t have a new contract in hand, but there have been discussions with Byrne and the Alabama administration. “It’s probably getting close,” he said before the Sweet 16.

Byrne spoke with BamaOnLine in Chicago and echoed what Oats said. His Saturday night post on X seems to suggest that an extension has either already happened or is coming soon.

“We’re working on that,” Byrne said on Friday. “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.”

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