A-Day commentary: More than anything, this was a new Alabama

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A-Day commentary: More than anything, this was a new Alabama
By Jess Nicholas
TideFans.com Editor-in-Chief
April 22, 2007

There was a point in the first half of Saturday’s A-Day spring scrimmage game where virtually every seat in Bryant-Denny Stadium was full, the concrete walkways covered in standing-room-only patrons, and more wishful souls stacked so deep in the tunnels that no daylight could get through from behind.

Although they were all in Tuscaloosa to see Alabama play, most were there – they hoped – to see the start of a new era, the Nick Saban era, which Crimson Tide fans hope will produce, if not the best football on campus in 25 years, at least a level of competence not seen since Gene Stallings retired in 1996.

If Saturday was any indication, Alabama officials might need to at least start watching the bronze statue futures market.

There is no guarantee that Nick Saban will win a national championship or even a SEC championship at Alabama, but it didn’t take even three quarters of a spring scrimmage to understand things are different around here now. A pass over the middle – which should have been ruled an interception for Justin Woodall – was instead called an incomplete pass.

Saban – who had spent the afternoon prowling behind each quarterback like a hungry lion two hours past his dinnertime – made it a point to come some 40 yards downfield to get in the ear of the field judge who made the call. Repeat: This happened during a spring scrimmage game.

It’s an attitude that’s been sorely lacking at Alabama since the Stallings days. Mike Shula was a good man and clean as a starched Sunday church shirt, but his passivity and perhaps-latent, but often-obvious unconfident nature bled through to the entire team, resulting in the biggest train wreck since the 3-8 2000 season that forced out the similarly incompetent Mike DuBose. In between, Alabama watched Dennis Franchione fold under pressure and Mike Price breeze through town just long enough to collect as many paychecks as a seasonal fruit worker before allegedly sampling the Gulf Coast nightlife in a way Alabama head coaches shouldn’t.

Even since the Paul “Bear” Bryant era, tough men have been hard to come by at a job that doesn’t just deserve it, but demands it. Ray Perkins was such a man, but while his leadership abilities were never in question, his actual coaching abilities were probably overrated. Bill Curry brought neither to the table, and his only positive contribution to Alabama football was to introduce the fans to the gracious, humble and intellectual offensive coordinator Homer Smith, who deserved a far better fate than to get caught up in Curry’s mess.

It basically boils down to Stallings, one of Bryant’s favorite sons, and a handful of men either deficient in one aspect of character or deficient in nearly all of them – to say nothing of their questionable talents while in control of a headset and clipboard.

Saban’s debut Saturday had somewhat of a Stallings look to it – especially considering Saban looked as if he literally raided Stallings’ suit closet beforehand – but given Alabama attempted 69 passes on the day, that’s where the similarities to Stallings ended.

What was immediately familiar to Alabama fans, who are unquestionably the most technically savvy football fans in the country, was the demeanor of the coach and the demeanor of his players after every play, whether the play in question was good or bad. In the span of four months, the Alabama players appeared to have gone from being an undisciplined, often careless group to a football machine.

That’s not to say Alabama will achieve instant, overwhelming success. A machine though Alabama might be, machines are imperfect and parts can break. Alabama’s offensive line, for instance, looked far better Saturday but still suffers from just a hint of Bob Connelly’s lingering ghost. The wide receivers must learn to fight harder for the ball, and Alabama’s safeties can’t be afraid to lay big hits.

But there’s a reason the fans delivered multiple standing ovations on Saturday – they were deserved, and the fans know a good thing when they see it.

No one knows how long Alabama will have Nick Saban around, but if he can make as much difference in the next few years – even if it is only three, four or five – that he did in the past four months, it won’t matter. By that time, he will have combined his now-legendary recruiting prowess with an attitude of toughness that Alabama fans have long taken for granted. He will also, by that time, have completely shaken off the ghosts of ineptitude that have followed Alabama through two NCAA investigations and enough off-field drama to win a passel of Academy Awards.

Is Alabama back? The Tide has fooled us all before, so it’s too early to make that proclamation again. But the Crimson Tide is definitely on its way. That much was clear Saturday.

See also: 2006 vs. 2007 teams comparison QUICK HITS: A comparison: 2006 team vs. 2007 A-Day