Well, Grant has been paid well and given 6 years. Whoever they go after can know that Bama does not give a quick hook, and if you build a good team the support is there. I find it hard to believe he will be given another year. Just as a business decision the attendance is bound to drop if he comes back.
Like many here, I believe Anthony Grant is what he is -- a 17-15 coach, with a losing record in the SEC, and just enough flashes and excuses to give his (dwindling) supporters something to point to.
Trouble is, in six years, there have been no pleasant surprises. No overcoming obstacles, no unexpected development of players. The top end has been expected levels of performance, punctuated by inexplicable lapses and disappointments.
I'm convinced we'll never be more than what we are right now until we get a replacement.
But I do wonder what impact, if any, our current AD / President situation would have on attracting a quality replacement.
As in, let's assume that Battle is willing to make the call at the end of the year. Would anyone we'd care to have look at the vacant President chair, compounded by the fact that Battle can't possibly be in his chair all that much longer, and say, "Thanks, but not until the campus and AD leadership is settled?"
Or could we overcome that with a 5-year, $10 - $12 million contract?
I don't know enough about how coaches and their agents think, and would be curious to hear the thoughts of the board.