Commentary: Shula could soon find out how important Auburn is

[JessN]

Commentary: Shula could soon learn how important Auburn is
by Jess Nicholas

In the wake of Auburn’s 28-18 defeat of Alabama Nov. 19, Alabama fans have struggled with the question: Was the 9-2 2005 regular season a success, or not?

Most prognosticators pegged Alabama for a seven-win season, eight tops. Most picked Alabama to lose to Auburn, LSU, Tennessee and Florida.

http://www.tidefans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37263

 

[Rolling Tide]

Very nice Jess!!!

 

[BAMAFAN61]

Thanks Jess!

I agree that the players were not emotionally ready for Saturday's game and the lack of emotional preparation falls squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff. There is no excuse for not being ready for the annual game against the barn. Your commentary was tough, but fair and accurate. I really do like Coach Shula and I hope he can right the ship.

 

[GulfCoastTider]

I think Jess needs a big fat raise and a nice contract extension.

Excellent job, sir.

 

[RTnDC]

I respectfully disagree with your analysis regarding the elephant in the room.

The elephant in the room is not Shula’s inability to beat Auburn. Rather, the elephant in the room, that too often gets ignored, is the depth of quality players on the Alabama roster. Unfortunately, fans refuse to accept or choose to ignore with increasing regularity the crippling effect the NCAA sanctions have had on our competitiveness. It will be interesting to see if any of Alabama’s offensive linemen receive 1st or 2nd string All SEC awards. My guess is none.

Yet Alabama fans and this article fail to acknowledge that losing to Auburn and barely beating a collapsing Tennessee team is a function of talent and not coaching much less acknowledge what a tremendous job Coach Shula has done in achieving a nine win season. Dr. Witt was right before the Auburn game and he is right today. Coach Shula deserves a raise in recognition of the progress the team has made both on and off the field. It is time for Alabama fans to get beyond this silly notion of discomfort because they know someone who is an Auburn fan that ridicules them at the office or church. It is time for all Alabama fans to start supporting a long term reconstruction plan that puts Alabama back in the upper echelons of college football, it rightful spot. This long term plan calls for at least two more solid recruiting years and at least two more years to develop the talent. Judging the team or the coaching staff on anything less is absurd.

I refuse to let a school, its program and its fans, each of whom suffer from such an inferiority complex that reaches clinical proportions dictate who should be the coach at The University of Alabama much less determine how much he should make. Further, I will not stand idly by and let someone write “black clouds on the horizon” type articles that do not depict an accurate portrayal of the state of Alabama football.

By the way, I am under 50, an alumnus, and I give money to the University beyond the Tide Pride donation and this situation does not compare to the Perkins/Curry years.

 

[JessN]

RTnDC,

I find that reaction amusing considering just about every pregame and preseason article I've written for the last three years makes note of those talent shortcomings. I've done my best to temper expectations and have been told on occasion that I was being a "bad fan" by attempting to temper expectations, because Alabama NEVER concedes roadblocks to its ability to win.

To the comment that I'm not accurately portraying the situation in Tuscaloosa -- all I can tell you is sit back and watch. If Shula hasn't beaten Auburn by the end of the 2008 season, I doubt he'll be coaching here beyond that. You can disagree with the mindset that would make that change, but you'd be ill-advised to bet any money against it.

The problem with the OL is unique. I expect Antoine Caldwell to be on the all-SEC freshman team, but no one else will get any recognition, unless B.J. Stabler is also put on that team by default. But whereas other positions of weakness for Alabama the last three years have been purely due to talent, the offensive line has been weak even when it had veteran, future NFL players as part of its group. In all three years, the offensive line has peaked around the fourth game of the year and fallen off after that.

That is unacceptable, and seeing basic improvement is not too much to ask even in 2003 in the transition year. The problem there is clearly wider than "just coaching" or "just talent."

I'm not out to get Shula fired, but I'm not writing from an uninformed perspective, either. The 2006 season will be the run-up to a legitimate title contention year in 2007. The 2007 and 2008 seasons will be full-strength years with no significant probation effects, and they will be critical to Shula's long-term future. I'm not trying to effect change, but I'm pointing out the reality of the situation. Things really do work this way in big-time college football.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

But whereas other positions of weakness for Alabama the last three years have been purely due to talent, the offensive line has been weak even when it had veteran, future NFL players as part of its group. In all three years, the offensive line has peaked around the fourth game of the year and fallen off after that.

That is unacceptable, and seeing basic improvement is not too much to ask even in 2003 in the transition year. The problem there is clearly wider than "just coaching" or "just talent."

I'm not out to get Shula fired, but I'm not writing from an uninformed perspective, either. The 2006 season will be the run-up to a legitimate title contention year in 2007. The 2007 and 2008 seasons will be full-strength years with no significant probation effects, and they will be critical to Shula's long-term future. I'm not trying to effect change, but I'm pointing out the reality of the situation. Things really do work this way in big-time college football.

Dead on the friggin' money!!!

Lack of talent, experience and depth can truly be a contributor and reasons for our meltdowns. But I think some are trying to "milk it" for more than it really applies. I totally agree and have said all year that irregardless of "talent level" there should be signs of improvement and yet the same pattern has kicked in, and that's peak at midseason and down hill the rest. That's not just "talent", "depth" or "experience" and I'll leave it at that.

Unfortunately money and winning drive college football. The fans and the fans' money have the ultimate say so, and to anybody that disagrees, just let the stadium go from 90 to 95% capacity to 50-55% capacity for very long and see what happens. Consumers drive the market and college football is a HUGE market. Jess is right in that if CMS doesn't start showing some success against Awbarn then the consumer will indirectly force a change, because they do have the power to force change.

The Bama/Barn game is a huge "market" within the "market" and if Alabama can't begin to "turn the tide" on this slipping "market" then a change (according to history) will be made. Be it "right" or "wrong" is not even in the formula..................see Frank Zolich for further details.

 

[pcfixup]

When do we get out of the repeat offender window, and would that affect a search for a proven head coach should Coach Shula be fired.

 

[Redwood Forrest]

What am I missing here. Most of our players are from the State of Alabama, yet they need a HC to pump them up and get them "ready" for Auburn? That is strange. I would also not think they need a HC to pump them up and get them "ready" for Tennessee.

Does a Moderator need to pump up the fans and get them "ready" for the Auburn and Tennessee games?

 

[Ldlane]

Jess,

I agree with you. I think in the end it will depend on whether or not we are able to get the "horses to pull the wagon!" It is going to be a bit more difficult than the past because we have 4 school in major college football in the state.

1. We are going to have to beat Auburn to help recruiting.

2. Although I agree with what Wimp said about UAB, I think we need to play at least one of the other two teams in the state besides Auburn to help out with recruiting and stop being "snobs" and ignoring the fact that they are even there. I think it helps teams in other states like the Florida teams (FSU, Florida, and Miami and now S. Florida) to play each other in the end for sake of recruiting. We could easily fit one of the other teams (UAB or Troy) into our schedule and take out someone like Utah State.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

What am I missing here. Most of our players are from the State of Alabama, yet they need a HC to pump them up and get them "ready" for Auburn? That is strange. I would also not think they need a HC to pump them up and get them "ready" for Tennessee.

Does a Moderator need to pump up the fans and get them "ready" for the Auburn and Tennessee games?

You're absolutely right Redwood, you would think that there would be no need for a coach to "pump up" the players for a rivalry game. But unfortunately in this day and time it might very well be the case. I'm not saying it is, just saying it might. You're dealing with 18-21 yr olds of a much different time.

You're also dealing with a coach that has spent his entire career around PROFESSIONAL athletes who did not need anyone to emotionally and mentally prepare them for a game. They knew the job at hand, they treated it like a business and went and got the job done. Kids aren't like that. They are driven by emotions and at that age haven't developed the discipline or skill to "prepare themselves" in that facet of the game.

Now, CMS might be preparing the emotionally and mentally and the kids simply aren't responding. I really don't know. I'm just throwing out some suggestions and possibilities.

 

[RamaJamaDog]

This was the best article on this thread

I respectfully disagree with your analysis regarding the elephant in the room.

The elephant in the room is not Shula’s inability to beat Auburn. Rather, the elephant in the room, that too often gets ignored, is the depth of quality players on the Alabama roster. Unfortunately, fans refuse to accept or choose to ignore with increasing regularity the crippling effect the NCAA sanctions have had on our competitiveness. It will be interesting to see if any of Alabama’s offensive linemen receive 1st or 2nd string All SEC awards. My guess is none.

Yet Alabama fans and this article fail to acknowledge that losing to Auburn and barely beating a collapsing Tennessee team is a function of talent and not coaching much less acknowledge what a tremendous job Coach Shula has done in achieving a nine win season. Dr. Witt was right before the Auburn game and he is right today. Coach Shula deserves a raise in recognition of the progress the team has made both on and off the field. It is time for Alabama fans to get beyond this silly notion of discomfort because they know someone who is an Auburn fan that ridicules them at the office or church. It is time for all Alabama fans to start supporting a long term reconstruction plan that puts Alabama back in the upper echelons of college football, it rightful spot. This long term plan calls for at least two more solid recruiting years and at least two more years to develop the talent. Judging the team or the coaching staff on anything less is absurd.

I refuse to let a school, its program and its fans, each of whom suffer from such an inferiority complex that reaches clinical proportions dictate who should be the coach at The University of Alabama much less determine how much he should make. Further, I will not stand idly by and let someone write “black clouds on the horizon” type articles that do not depict an accurate portrayal of the state of Alabama football.

By the way, I am under 50, an alumnus, and I give money to the University beyond the Tide Pride donation and this situation does not compare to the Perkins/Curry years.

I agree when this above quote but not the beginning thread. When talent is on even footing we will beat Auburn, why put a year on it or even hint at a year. I am sorry to say that even though the beginning thread had some good points it is flawed in it's assumptions. It is also disappointing and reveals a lack of insight.

We have won the respect of the media and national fans again. We need to be able to recongize quality coaches.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

We have won the respect of the media and national fans again.

Maybe the national media's respect but you can forget the fans respect, especially after the second half of our season. I've heard more "overrated" and "fluke" than anything. And that is coming from fans from different teams, not just one or two. I guess it depends on the population of "fans" you talk to. But I for one can tell you that my personal experience has been anything but "respect".

 

[Ldlane]

Maybe the national media's respect but you can forget the fans respect, especially after the second half of our season. I've heard more "overrated" and "fluke" than anything. And that is coming from fans from different teams, not just one or two. I guess it depends on the population of "fans" you talk to. But I for one can tell you that my personal experience has been anything but "respect".

If I remember correctly many of those fans wanted "Dubose" as our coach after CGS.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

If I remember correctly many of those fans wanted "Dubose" as our coach after CGS.

I think bama fans sometimes get more caught up (I myself do at times) in what other people think of our program than what's actually going on on the field. I know that when somebody says "Bama is 'overrated" or when someone doesn't recognize our program as one of the "elite's" I tend to get ticked off.

But I have to remember that it's been a LONG LONG time since we've been a consistent contender in college football. Over the past years Tennessee, LSU, Georgia and certainly Florida have become teams that haven't taken a back seat to Bama and have on many occassions gotten the best of us on the field. UT did it 9 out of ten years. You'd almost want to stop calling that a "rivalry" after that kind of streak. LSU has now started a pretty decent streak on us.

But all boils down to what we do on the field. What we do on the field dictates how we're peceived off. We can look back and ride the coat tails of our dominate years all we want, but we shouldn't expect non bama fans to do the same.

 

[bayoutider]

When do we get out of the repeat offender window, and would that affect a search for a proven head coach should Coach Shula be fired.

The probation window closes Feb. 1, 2007 to the best of my recolection. No comment on the second part of your question.

Someone correct me if I have the month wrong. It could be Jan1 instead of Feb1 not that a month matters.

Also at this time the University can petition the SEC for a portion of the Bowl revenue they missed in 2002 & 2003.

 

[TomBama]

I agree with Jess

My first thought after seeing us fall behind Auburn so quickly last weekend was that if Mike Shula loses to Auburn next year, he will get some major heat, and his chance of remaining at Alabama for the long run will be most heavily affected by whether or not he begins to beat Auburn. Regardless of the recruiting sanctions in recent years, losing to Auburn five, six, seven years in a row just does not cut it. I believe that I am fairly rational, but if Auburn wins next year and in 2007 against us, I will be one of those who think that perhaps it's time for a change in Tuscaloosa. I would love to compete for SEC and national championships, but the thing I want most is to beat Auburn.

 

[Ldlane]

I think bama fans sometimes get more caught up (I myself do at times) in what other people think of our program than what's actually going on on the field. I know that when somebody says "Bama is 'overrated" or when someone doesn't recognize our program as one of the "elite's" I tend to get ticked off.

But I have to remember that it's been a LONG LONG time since we've been a consistent contender in college football. Over the past years Tennessee, LSU, Georgia and certainly Florida have become teams that haven't taken a back seat to Bama and have on many occassions gotten the best of us on the field. UT did it 9 out of ten years. You'd almost want to stop calling that a "rivalry" after that kind of streak. LSU has now started a pretty decent streak on us.

But all boils down to what we do on the field. What we do on the field dictates how we're peceived off. We can look back and ride the coat tails of our dominate years all we want, but we shouldn't expect non bama fans to do the same.

You are correct, it does matter what we do on the field. That is why recruiting and those sanctions are so important and being able to "reload" instead of "rebuild." The "band aids" that CMS and his staff continue to put on our "sore spots" (OFFENSE) has helped us gain back some of our luster those those weaknesses will still remain until we get the personnel. TP was one of those "band aids" this year and when he went down, we were exposed. I guess I see the glass as "half-full" on the coaching situation.

I think most of the "whinning" is coming from people that weren't too excited about get CMS as HC in the first place.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I think most of the "whinning" is coming from people that weren't too excited about get CMS as HC in the first place.

Frustration. When you're watching others have success (over a period of five years) and you're fielding a team that can't even get the basics of blocking down, frustration begins to set in. The Auburn game just rubbed salt in the wound. We were T-Totally embarrassed in front of a national audience and that doesn't sit well with any program, not just Alabama.

It also doesn't help when you've got Auburn's qb (who was a die hard Bama fan) being quoted in the paper as "I was sitting on the sidelines enjoying every minute of it..." referring to the sheer domination of Auburn's defense against our offense.

We're still going through tough and trying times right now and are playing some major "catch up" with the rest of the SEC. We hang on every little sign of success AND every little sign of regression. But it is nothing that a little winning can't take care of and that's what we're all waiting on.

 

[Ldlane]

Frustration. When you're watching others have success (over a period of five years) and you're fielding a team that can't even get the basics of blocking down, frustration begins to set in. The Auburn game just rubbed salt in the wound. We were T-Totally embarrassed in front of a national audience and that doesn't sit well with any program, not just Alabama.

It also doesn't help when you've got Auburn's qb (who was a die hard Bama fan) being quoted in the paper as "I was sitting on the sidelines enjoying every minute of it..." referring to the sheer domination of Auburn's defense against our offense.

We're still going through tough and trying times right now and are playing some major "catch up" with the rest of the SEC. We hang on every little sign of success AND every little sign of regression. But it is nothing that a little winning can't take care of and that's what we're all waiting on.

Balderdash! 9-2 isn't winning? The fact that we've won all of the games that we were supposed to win and one that we wasn't isn't good enough for you. Niether is the fact that we have a better record now than we did over the past 2 years. Admit it. You didn't want CMS hired and neither did JessN! You can't wait to rub it in and say "I told you so!" That is what this thread is about! It doesn't have a thing to do with the reaction of the "little cow college" at all!