Alabama Football: Stability and Excellence, A New Footprint For Coach Nick Saban

In 2011, Nick Saban embarks on his fifth year as the head coach of the University of Alabama football program. Since the departure of Bear Bryant, only one coach lasted longer: Gene Stallings, a tenure that lasted seven seasons from 1990-1996.

Ray Perkins endured all of four years. With a record of 32-15-1, Perkins opted out of college football and sailed away on the ship of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Though his tenure was short, Perkins had only one losing season and kept the wheels from falling off the cart of a program that had quickly began to lose its luster following the back-to-back championship seasons of '78-'79 and subsequent departure of Bear Bryant in 1983.

Perkins' short stint was followed by Bill Curry. Curry and Perkins had played together as professionals on the Baltimore Colts. Curry had a very successful seven-year tenure as head coach for Georgia Tech, restoring toughness and pride to a program that had sunk into an abyss soon after leaving the old Southern Conference.

Wresting coach Curry from the clutches of Georgia Tech was easy enough, as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide was one of, if not the best opportunity in college football. Yet some of the Alabama alumni were not happy with the hire of Bill Curry, the 1985 ACC Coach of the Year.

Though his pedigree was and still is impressive, Curry was not a disciple of the Bear and had no prior connection to the Capstone.

Curry was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1987 and 1989. He led the Tide for three seasons, which included a 10-0 start in 1989. But a third straight loss to archrival Auburn caused a great rift in the fanbase and sent a brick flying through the head coach's office window.

Following a 10-1 season and a share of the SEC title, Curry was named SEC Coach of the Year and Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year, the national honor bestowed onto the best Division 1 head coach. At the end of the season, Curry opted out of the Alabama job and headed to the Bluegrass State.

Texas A&M and Junction City graduate Gene Stallings entered Tuscaloosa as the prodigal stepson. Stallings was a child of Bryant's before the Bear entered into marriage with Alabama, and served as an assistant coach on Bryant's staff from 1958-1964. He left Alabama with Bryant's blessing in '64 to become head coach at his alma mater at the ripe old age of 29 years.

Stallings returned to Alabama in 1990 at the age of 55. As a head coach, his record was not at all impressive, standing at 50-79-2 which included seven seasons with Texas A&M and three dismal years at the helm of the NFL's St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals. He served as an defensive assistant to Tom Landry for the 14 years that separated the two head coaching jobs.

Though his first year as head coach at Alabama got off to a rocky start at 0-3, his 1990 team finished 7-5 and got to the post-season. Alabama was a bit of a laughing stock in the college football world, due to the hostility that surrounded the departure of Curry. In the post-season, the Crimson Tide got their clocks cleaned in the Fiesta Bowl, losing to the Louisville Cardinals, 34-7.

It was an embarrassing loss and a dismal finish to his first campaign as head coach at Alabama.

In his second year Stallings got off to a 2-0 start, but a 35-0 beat-down at the hands of Steve Spurrier and the Florida Gators was unsettling, and had fans wondering if running off Bill Curry was the right move. Stallings quieted the critics by reeling off nine consecutive wins, finishing the season 11-1.

An exciting win in the Blockbuster Bowl over powerhouse Colorado 30-25, the national champion in 1990, put Stallings in position to take full command of the Alabama football program.

In his third season as head coach, Stallings led the Crimson Tide to its first undefeated regular season since the Bryant era. The successful campaign of 1992 put Alabama in the inaugural SEC championship game against the Florida Gators.

The sweet victory over Steve Spurrier and his chomping but toothless reptiles put Alabama in the national championship game against the Miami Hurricanes. The mighty Hurricanes entered the game against the Tide as an eight-point favorite and rolled into the Sugar Bowl on a 29-game winning streak.

The Crimson Tide defense proved to be one of the best in the country, if not the best in the history of the storied Alabama program. They shut down Gino Torretta and the speedy play-makers of the Hurricanes and roared to a 34-13 victory, capturing an unprecedented 12th national title and the inaugural Bowl Coalition national championship game.

Stallings kept Alabama in the national limelight throughout the remainder of his tenure as head coach. In 1993, the NCAA stepped in and stepped on toes when they discovered that senior defensive back Antonio Langham signed with an agent before the post-season bowl game had been played. Alabama was forced to forfeit eight of the nine victories from the 1993 season and the program was placed on probation.

Stallings and the Crimson Tide rebounded from the setback by going 11-0 in the 1994 regular season and were once again in contention for a national title. Unfortunately, in the SEC title game, the Gators had gotten their bite back and Florida defeated the Alabama 24-23 in one of the closest and most exciting championship games ever played in the Southeastern Conference.

The Crimson Tide defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Citrus Bowl to finish the season 12-1.

Stallings had two more winning seasons, retiring in 1996 following a 10-3 regular season and victory over Michigan in the Outback Bowl. Stallings played in the SEC championship game in every year of his tenure except one.

Stallings compiled an official record at Alabama of 62–25 (70–16–1 if the 1993 forfeits are disregarded).

For the sake of brevity, and the desire to keep out of the pit of depression, suffice it to say that the Dubose-Franchione-Price era was the darkest period of Alabama football history.

Dubose lasted all of three years and left the program on probation, and a few dollars short of an NCAA death penalty. Franchoine was in and out in two years and Price was literally a one-night stand.

Mike Shula was a breath of fresh air and brought credibility back to the program. His good name and high character had an immediate impact on recruiting. Like most head coaches putting together a staff, he leaned on long-term relationships and past mentors.

In his first year, because of the Price debacle, he had very little time to prepare for the season ahead. In addition, he did not have the benefit of coaching the spring practices, he only had fall camp to prepare for an entire season of football in one of, if not the toughest conference in America.

Shula was given a pass for the 2003 season, and he needed it. While the season was marred by close losses and fourth-quarter collapses, a 4-7 season is hard to swallow at Alabama. Particularly when some of the losses occurred at the hands of programs such as Northern Illinois at home in Bryant-Denny.

I know, I know, the Huskies featured running back Michael Turner, a future NFL All-Pro. But Alabama just isn't supposed to lose these games. Turner had a field day against the Tide, scampering 156 yards on 27 carries. He outran the entire Alabama backfield which included Shaud William, Ray Hudson and Ken Darby.

In 2004, the Tide got off to a good start at 3-0. Against Western Carolina, Shula still had Brodie Croyle in the game up 38-0 and Croyle blew out his right knee before the end of the third quarter. Against Kentucky with victory never in doubt, up and coming star running back Ray Hudson blew out his ACL. It was officially the end of the 2004 season.

In 2005, with a healthy Croyle, the Tide once again got off to a great start. Opening the season at the tune of 4-0, the Tide hosted the Gators for a showdown between two undefeated teams, showcased on national television. Alabama blew the Gators out of the water, but shot their wad late in the game.

With an insurmountable lead in hand, Shula sent in a play that would sideline playmaker Tyrone Prothro for the rest of his career. It was another ill-fated injury that would cost the Tide dearly. While Alabama went on to win 10 straight to begin the year, they could not win in late November against the class of the SEC. 

It was a recurring theme during the Shula tenure. In his four seasons as head coach for the Crimson Tide, his teams failed miserably in November. Alabama was owned by Auburn and LSU, and could not get over the hump. Shula was 0-4 against Auburn and 0-4 against LSU from 2003-2006.

Saban entered the scene at the end of the 2006 season. He immediately stepped in and took charge of the program. His evaluations took very little time and he got right to work recruiting and freeing up scholarships for worthy candidates by cleaning house of those who were unworthy.

Saban had a zero tolerance policy and got rid of the players that caused trouble on and off the field of play. He instituted programs that made players accountable on the field and in the classroom. It was a remarkable turnaround for the program at the Capstone and the players responded with fear and loathing.

His 2007 team struggled mightily after jumping out to a 6-2 start. Despite setbacks due to a textbook scandal and consecutive regular season losses to LSU, Mississippi State, Louisiana-Monroe and Auburn, the Tide finished 6-6 and was awarded with a post-season bowl bid.

The win against Colorado in the Independence Bowl allowed the team to gain confidence in their ability to win and have success offensively. The Tide jumped out to a 20-point lead in the first quarter and won the game 30-24.

From the opening kickoff of 2008 to the close of the 2010 season, Alabama has ripped off 35 wins against five losses. They have played big-time games in the national spotlight and have won their share of glory since the embarrassing loss to Louisiana-Monroe in 2007.

The Capital One Bowl will cap off Nick Saban's fourth season as head football coach at Alabama. In the winter, he will finalize recruiting and pen his fifth signing class.

In 2007, his staff was late to the party and landed the 10th-ranked class in the nation.

In 2008 and 2009, Alabama had back-to-back No. 1 recruiting classes. 2010 was a top-five class and 2011 is on mark to finish in the top five, as well.

In March of 2011, Saban and his staff will kick off their fifth season with the beginning of spring practice. There has been very little turnover in the Saban staff, the stability Saban has brought to the Alabama football program is at a benchmark level since the Bryant era.

Without question, Saban is the man in charge. His coaches are some of the best in the country, and they work well together on common goals. While Saban's primary goal is to reestablish a winning tradition for Alabama football, his long-term goals are broader and more significant to life after football for the individual athletes.

He has brought balance back to the football program at the University of Alabama. While winning championships is important, it is not the most important achievement in life.

Some of the most athletically gifted individuals in the country are now walking the paths to classrooms across the campus of the Capstone. These individuals are being taught how to properly interact in their role on campus and in the community. They are offered the best of both worlds in academics and athletics.

They are also being taught how to give back to the community that supports their endeavors, and how to handle fame with class, integrity and dignity. Football is a game. It is a medium that allows gifted athletes to display their talents and entertain those who are not as gifted--a game that allows for fierce competition and the crowning of a champion.

It is also a means to a greater end. It is a social tool that allows mentors to shape young minds and develop individual talents that can collectively contribute to a cause bigger than themselves, a team. Working together, they can do more as a team than would ever be possible as an individual.

A 9-3 record marks a successful season in 2010. A season where off-the-field problems were rarely encountered, seniors are prepared to graduate, and individual players are recognized as All-American athletes.

As the team now prepares for a post-season bowl, fans should keep this all in perspective. These men are proud of their accomplishments, as they should be. They have much to be thankful for and much to be proud of as they move forward into 2011.

For the seniors, it will be the last time they are ever able to put on a uniform and compete at the highest level in the college sport.

Some will move on to a professional football career while most will move on to a professional career in some other field. At the University of Alabama, coach Nick Saban is making sure that the second pathway is an option, an option that will yield greater success and joy to the player that gave his all on the field and paid attention in class.

It is a great thing that Nick Saban, Mal Moore and Robert Witt are doing for the University of Alabama. It's not just about football, but it's all about winning. Sweet home Alabama is redefining the role of the sport and the meaning of a successful program.

Ain't it great to be from Alabama?