 Toledo finished their 1989 season with a record of six wins and five losses ( 6 – 5 , 6 – 2 in MAC play ) and tied for second place in the final conference standings . Although the Rockets finished the season with a winning record , on November 22 , 1989 , head coach Dan <unk> was fired by Toledo athletic director Al Bohl . By mid @-@ December , the finalists were narrowed to Pete <unk> ( then the quarterback coach at Notre Dame ) and Nick Saban ( then the secondary coach for the Houston Oilers ) . On December 22 , 1989 , Bohl announced the Saban had been hired to replace <unk> as head coach at Toledo . The position was Saban 's first as a head coach . 
