'Bama Football: Goodbye To the Last of Non-Shula Recruits, Hello All-Saban Team

Nick Saban once said that when you take over a team there are always players you may not have drafted yourself that surprise you with how well they play. Players like those that he inherited at Alabama, like Javier Arenas, who really no one wanted after high school, turned out to be a team leader and star starter.

But now, those type of surprises are over. With the start of spring ball this coming year, it will be an all-Saban team, handpicked by the master himself.

That's good and bad news for the Alabama fans. Never again will an Alabama team take the field with such a large number of recruiting "stars." These are all players who were and are expected to be among the best in the nation.

The bad news is that the only surprise that can happen is that they don't live up to that billing.

This is a team that will be mentioned as a preseason favorite and as a national title contender.

But as the final season of the few Mike Shula recruits that remain is ending, this would be a great time to stop and give Shula his due for two important things he did that helped lay the ground work for where the program stands today.

As previously stated, he brought in some talent that others overlooked who made some significant contributions to the national championship and good team we have today.

But more importantly, he held the program together at a time when it could have fractured so badly that not even Saban could have put it back together this quickly.

Not one player left after the Mike Price fiasco and the added probation. Shula held this team like a family and created an "us against the world" mentality that still exists today.

Shula may have had his problems, I can't name a coach, including Saban, who doesn't.

But what he gave Alabama in hard work and building unity far exceeded his shortcomings.

As the last of his recruits walk off the field, donning their Crimson jerseys for the last time, let's thank not just those players, but the coach who brought them to Alabama.

No matter what the future holds and how great it may be, remember the best mansions must have a solid foundation first.

Merry Christmas to all those who helped lay that foundation.