Why Did Ray Perkins Replace Bear Bryant?

selmaborntidefan

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I got a look on another thread and somebody mentioned the oft-repeated claim that Gene Stallings was Bear Bryant's favorite to replace him, and it got me to thinking about a question to ask some of the older-timers:

Why was Ray Perkins chosen?

Keep in mind that at that time I was 13 years old and - more importantly - I lived in Germany, so I didn't have any access to Tuscaloosa news at the time (believe it or not whippersnappers, the Internet was NOT invented by Al Gore, but we didn't use it back then).

Why Perkins?

I realize that an argument could be made that he had turned around a pathetic Giants franchise pretty quickly. I also recall hearing that he was Bear Bryant's 'favorite end' whom Bryant had stayed in the hospital with when he got a concussion.

But the roller coaster began back then so why was Perkins the hire?
 

jthomas666

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IIRC, at the time Stallings was an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys, who were in the midst of a playoff run. Stallings didn't think it would be fair to the Cowboys to take another job in the middle of the playoffs.
 

NYBamaFan

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IIRC, at the time Stallings was an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys, who were in the midst of a playoff run. Stallings didn't think it would be fair to the Cowboys to take another job in the middle of the playoffs.
Wasn't that the strike shortened season? Just looked, it was, but the Cowboys went all the way to the NFC CG that year...
 
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selmaborntidefan

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Wasn't that the strike shortened season?
Yes, it was. Dallas had the second-best record in the NFC and, in fact, were the only team to beat the one-loss eventual Super Bowl champions that year, the Redskins.

Stallings was the secondary coach (I believe) on that team.
 

TIDE-HSV

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I'll tell you what I heard at the time, and it came from someone personally close to him. You may remember that Coach's public position was that he was staying out of the selection process. If were asked privately, and he was, his second choice was CGS. but his first choice was, in fact, Perkins. The logic was that Coach recognized that the wishbone was passe' - that it had been well dxed and could be defended. One of the reasons he gave publicly for his retirement was that he never wanted to coach kids to pass-block again. Perkins was a respected offensively-minded coach, whereas CGS was the opposite - a defensively-minded coach. He felt that the defense would be fine, but the offense needed revamping totally. I've always accepted this as the truth, both because of who told me and also because it made sense. Whatever the order of choice, it would be unthinkable that Perkins would have been hired without Coach's strong stamp of approval, no matter what he said publicly...
 

Alasippi

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I'll tell you what I heard at the time, and it came from someone personally close to him. You may remember that Coach's public position was that he was staying out of the selection process. If were asked privately, and he was, his second choice was CGS. but his first choice was, in fact, Perkins. The logic was that Coach recognized that the wishbone was passe' - that it had been well dxed and could be defended. One of the reasons he gave publicly for his retirement was that he never wanted to coach kids to pass-block again. Perkins was a respected offensively-minded coach, whereas CGS was the opposite - a defensively-minded coach. He felt that the defense would be fine, but the offense needed revamping totally. I've always accepted this as the truth, both because of who told me and also because it made sense. Whatever the order of choice, it would be unthinkable that Perkins would have been hired without Coach's strong stamp of approval, no matter what he said publicly...
Wasn't he, in fact, also the AD at the time? I'd agree with the above.
I can't see Coach Bryant just walking away with no input on his successor.
 

TIDE-HSV

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It seems to me that he resigned as AD also. I know there was a selection committee named, but I don't remember who was on it. Maybe TommyMac or another OF can. CPB's input was strictly informal, I was told.
 

GrayTide

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I think there is a lot of truth to what Earle said. The wishbone offense was on the way out and the only other top level team I recall that stayed with the wishbone was Barry Switzer's Oklahoma team. Perkins inherited a team recruited to run the wishbone and he had a pretty tough time getting his type players to run a more pro style offense. Also I have heard that due to Coach Bryant's health and knowing he was close to retiring the overall talent level was also on the decline.

The story of CGS being Coach Bryant's first choice has been taken as gospel since Coach Bryant's death. Being the coach to replace Coach Bryant was a no win situation at best.
 

TIDE-HSV

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The story of CGS being Coach Bryant's first choice has been taken as gospel since Coach Bryant's death.
I'm well aware of that. It just doesn't match up with what I heard at the time. Also, what I heard makes sense...
 

selmaborntidefan

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I'm well aware of that. It just doesn't match up with what I heard at the time. Also, what I heard makes sense...
What you're saying is what I remember at the time. In fact, I never heard Gene Stallings' name come up until Bill Curry resigned in early 1990. I do know that Paul Bryant Jr. sought out Stallings at a press conference and said, "This is what Papa wanted," but I also recall very clearly what little I heard at the time was that Bryant had endorsed the selection of Perkins.

I'm also aware of the controversy of Bryant having to retire because of the age laws in Alabama and Pat Dye using that as a recruiting tool.
 

bayoutider

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It seems to me that he resigned as AD also. I know there was a selection committee named, but I don't remember who was on it. Maybe TommyMac or another OF can. CPB's input was strictly informal, I was told.
All I can remember is Coach Bryant was also the AD (maybe it was a way to pay him more money back then) and Coach Perkins assumed the same position. When Perkins resigned and Bill Curry was named HC, Steve Sloan was named AD.
 

Jref

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I'll tell you what I heard at the time, and it came from someone personally close to him. You may remember that Coach's public position was that he was staying out of the selection process. If were asked privately, and he was, his second choice was CGS. but his first choice was, in fact, Perkins. The logic was that Coach recognized that the wishbone was passe' - that it had been well dxed and could be defended. One of the reasons he gave publicly for his retirement was that he never wanted to coach kids to pass-block again. Perkins was a respected offensively-minded coach, whereas CGS was the opposite - a defensively-minded coach. He felt that the defense would be fine, but the offense needed revamping totally. I've always accepted this as the truth, both because of who told me and also because it made sense. Whatever the order of choice, it would be unthinkable that Perkins would have been hired without Coach's strong stamp of approval, no matter what he said publicly...

You hit the nail right on the head, Earle ... that's the same thing I was told by people very close to the decision.

But CGS was always one of Bryant's favorite people, and I'm sure Papa Bear was smiling when we eventually hired him.
 

dennychimes76

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What you're saying is what I remember at the time. In fact, I never heard Gene Stallings' name come up until Bill Curry resigned in early 1990. I do know that Paul Bryant Jr. sought out Stallings at a press conference and said, "This is what Papa wanted," but I also recall very clearly what little I heard at the time was that Bryant had endorsed the selection of Perkins.

I'm also aware of the controversy of Bryant having to retire because of the age laws in Alabama and Pat Dye using that as a recruiting tool.
Alabama's law was mandatory retirement at age 70 - however the Legislature was to give special dispensation to Coach Bryant to continue past age 70. CPB retired because of his heath.

On a general note, Dr. Gaylon McCullough's book published a couple of months ago ("The Long Shadow of Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant") which gives some insight into Coach Bryant's retirement and the subsequent hirings. Dr. McCullough was a close friend and one of CPR's physicians. He said he wrote the book because it was time to clear up some things. He also said in the book that Bobby Bowden did miserable in his interview. :BigA:
 

TIDE-HSV

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He also said in the book that Bobby Bowden did miserable in his interview.
According to Bowden, he refused to interview. He came to T-Town thinking he had the job and then was told that he had to interview. That's my best memory of his account of it...
 
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rolltidescott

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I'll tell you what I heard at the time, and it came from someone personally close to him. You may remember that Coach's public position was that he was staying out of the selection process. If were asked privately, and he was, his second choice was CGS. but his first choice was, in fact, Perkins. The logic was that Coach recognized that the wishbone was passe' - that it had been well dxed and could be defended. One of the reasons he gave publicly for his retirement was that he never wanted to coach kids to pass-block again. Perkins was a respected offensively-minded coach, whereas CGS was the opposite - a defensively-minded coach. He felt that the defense would be fine, but the offense needed revamping totally. I've always accepted this as the truth, both because of who told me and also because it made sense. Whatever the order of choice, it would be unthinkable that Perkins would have been hired without Coach's strong stamp of approval, no matter what he said publicly...
Intesting. I've never heard that, but it makes sense.
 

UAME

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Not to hijack this thread, but I have a question while we're on the subject of Perkins: Why did he leave Bama? Was he pressured out? I cut my teeth on Bama football, but I was only 8 when Coach Bryant passed away. I remember his retirement and the subsequent coaching changes leading up to Stallings, but the politics behind these decisions were not on my radar at that age.
 

UAME

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According to Bowden, he refused to interview. He came to T-Town thinking he had the job and then was told that he had to interview. That's my best memory of his account of it...
It seems like there was something ridiculous about the interview process - like maybe the SGA president was allowed to ask the candidate questions. Does that sound familiar to anyone else?
 
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Not to hijack this thread, but I have a question while we're on the subject of Perkins: Why did he leave Bama? Was he pressured out? I cut my teeth on Bama football, but I was only 8 when Coach Bryant passed away. I remember his retirement and the subsequent coaching changes leading up to Stallings, but the politics behind these decisions were not on my radar at that age.
Short answer Money
 

deliveryman35

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It seems like there was something ridiculous about the interview process - like maybe the SGA president was allowed to ask the candidate questions. Does that sound familiar to anyone else?
Perkins left mainly because he was lured by Hugh Culverhouse, then owner of the Tampa Bay Bucs, to return to pro football with a huge contract offer. Based on comments he made in his decision to leave at the time, I took it that the money was the main motivating factor but that also Ray didn't seem to enjoy all the year round responsibilities that came along with being in the college game--namely recruiting and being athletic director.

In regard to the interview process for Perkins' successor, the story I've always heard is that Joab Thomas put together an interview 'team' of several people--I've always heard that former player Walter Lewis was in that group, but don't know that for sure-- that conducted the interviews. Bill Curry supposedly impressed better in the 'interview' phase better than the other candidates(daddy bowden included) and thus he was given the job over Bowden.
 

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