92,000 at their spring game and the #10 recruiting class would sound like a good start for almost any college football program. But, 'Bama is in the SEC which, IMO, is the toughest college football conference there is by a long shot. Do you guys think Nick Saban can truly bring 'Bama back?
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Sorry, Rivals has them as the #10 recruiting class. -
He can, but they may not give him enough time. I've always kinda thought he was pretty overrated as a coach.
Hes a great recruiter and a great defensive guy but he only had one 10+ win season at LSU. His teams sometimes came unprepared to play. He can stock the cuppard like he did for Les Miles but I don't see him around long enough to win a title in Alabama..either by his choice or the AD's.Comment
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AD Mal Moore isn't going to fire Saban. Ever. He's been through (I believe) 4 coaching changes and doesn't want to be involved in another. He hung on to Mike Shula as hard as he could, giving him pay raise and extension after pay raise and extension. I can't fathom him firing Saban.
Second, Alabama fans have been moiled in mediocrity for about 8-10 years now. Nobody is expecting to to win an SEC title in 1, 2, 3 or even 4 years. I'd say expectations are that bama is ranked in the top 25 in two years, and regularly in the top 15 in 4.
The only way Saban leaves is by choice, or by failing harder than Mike Shula for 3 years. He's got the highest salary of any NCAA coach, the atmosphere him and his family is looking to live in, an dthe control he wants over his program. To be honest, if he left alabama, where would he go?
As for how he'll do, it really depends on the defense. The players have really bought into his system. The offense returns with only one question at RB. There's holes at NT and OLB, as well as the secondary. Fortunately, defense is Saban's forte.
Schedule:
Western Carolina: Win
Vanderbilt: An improving program, but still a win.
Arkansas: If they had a decent coach, an offensive coordinator, or a quarterback, they'd be nasty: Win
Georgia: Down last year, but I expect them to rebound with better QB play and offensive production: Loss
Florida State: hard to call. FSU has great potential, but also a bust factor next year.
Houston Win
Ole Miss Ed Orgeron's team continues to fail. Win
Tennessee: Solidly talented team with a dynamo OC. Loss
LSU: Possibly biggest game of the year, but Bama doesn't have the talent. Loss
Mississippi State: The tailgating will be good as always, but Win
LA Monroe: Win
Auburn: I really think that this will be auburn's off year despite their heralded tailback talent due to QB and reciever issues. Close, but Win.
Worst Case: 7-5
Best Case: 9-3
Sig by DChessComment
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Saban will struggle a bit in his first season, but as he incorporates his system and gets the recruits he will continually progress until they're a national power again in 4 to 5 years. To expect conference championships in the next few years is a reach but give it time and it'll comeComment
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I think he can, but that's if he actually stays there for some time. I have a feeling he'll jump ship if a big college program fires their coach (hmmmm Michigan maybe?)
Another sig courtesy of BoneKrusher
Originally posted by JBCXComment
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**** Nick Saban.Comment
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give him some time and he will have Bama at the very least rivaling Auburn.
he is a fantastic recruiter, but I do feel he is a bit overated as a coach. I mean aside from his NC year, none of his seasons truly were great (@ LSU or Michigan State).
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i'm thinking he will want to stay in the SEC but i could see him taking as huge a job as that, nothing less thoughOriginally posted by sweetness34 View Post
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Well the Alabama job is pretty big. He's getting an absolute ton of money to try and bring back the tide to the prestigious program they were in the past.Comment
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The expectation is to be the best program in the state within 2 or 3 years, best in the West within 4 years, and to win a conference championship some short period of time after that. The faithful aren't extremely patient, and they have high hopes, as shown from the record turnout at the Spring Game.
Right now, I'm thinking 9-3 next year, 10-2 the year after that (but shaky, with a lot of close games), and 10-2 once again after that--- with much more decisive wins, including a few big wins against top-25 teams. It's going to take a few years of recruiting for Saban to fully implement his 3-4 defense, which will be the backbone of the team when developed.
This is coming from an Alabama student, FYI.Comment
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He will..
In 2-3 years they will be a dominant program.
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I'll say he does."The liberator who destroys my property, is fighting to save my spirit. The teacher who clears all possessions from my path will set me free."-Tyler DurdenComment
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You have to remember how loaded programs like UGA, LSU, UF, AU, and Tenn are right now.
Alabama might be able to move past teams like AU, and Tenn shortly but UGA, LSU, and UF from top to bottom have 10x more talent than Alabama has.
Unless Alabama can win recruiting wars between UGA, LSU, and UF soon it will take a number of years for them to move ahead of those schools. Which I dont see happening soon because UF if I remember correctly is dominating college sports and will most likely only get richer in recruiting in the comming years.
UGA's last class was stocked and this years is no different. LSU has arguablly the most talent in the nation maybe only behind USC, and LSU will contine to go to BCS bowls so recruiting will not die down for them either.
In other words Alabama will not win an SEC title anytime soon nor go to a BCS bowl. Maybe 5 or more years from now but that is another story.
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From Rivals:Originally posted by 504 to ATL View Post
2007 Recruiting
1. UF
2. USC
3. UT
4. LSU
5. Texas
6. South Carloina
7. Auburn
8. ND
9. UGA
10 Alabama
2006 Recruiting
1. USC
2. UF
3. FSU
4. UGA
5. Texas
6. PSU
7. LSU
8. ND
9. Oklahoma
10. Auburn
10. Alabama
It's not as if Bama's recruiting is really all that far behind, and you have to expect it to get better.
Also, you act as if Bama hasn't ever been in SEC title contention in recent years. You forget 2 years ago when Bama was one game short of taking the West.
Yes, Bama has some ground to cover to catch up to other SEC programs, but it's a gross exaggeration to say other teams have "10x" as much talent. Also, i expect the Tide to be second in the West in a few years, effectively putting them a misstep by LSU away from the title game.
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