Sources: Steve Sarkisian withdraws from Colorado consideration, staying at Alabama

Steve Sarkisian has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Colorado head-coaching job and instead plans to remain at Alabama as offensive coordinator, sources told ESPN.

Sarkisian, the former USC and Washington head coach, had emerged as Colorado's top target after interviewing for the job on Wednesday, according to sources, but informed Alabama coach Nick Saban on Thursday that he intended to stay in Tuscaloosa and is expected to receive a raise that will make him one of the highest paid coordinators in college football.

Sarkisian, 45, returned to Alabama last season as offensive coordinator after serving as the Atlanta Falcons' offensive coordinator in 2017-18. The Crimson Tide finished second nationally to national champion LSU in scoring offense in 2019 with an average of 47.2 points per game. Alabama and LSU were the only two teams in the country to finish in the top three nationally in both scoring offense and passing offense.

Sarkisian first worked under Saban in 2016 as an offensive analyst and called the offensive plays in the national championship game that season against Clemson after Saban parted ways with Lane Kiffin, who had taken the Florida Atlantic head job.

Colorado is looking for a replacement for Mel Tucker, who left for the Michigan State head coaching job last week after only one season at Colorado. Bret Bielema, the former Arkansas and Wisconsin head coach, has also interviewed with Colorado officials for the job and is a prime candidate along with Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun.