This is a big time hire in my opinion. This guy can flat out coach. I love this for Alabama.
https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1745905638247420405
I dunno. He's an elite head coach for sure but college football is all about recruiting and I question if a guy who has spent his entire head coaching career on the west coach can relate to Bubba McRedneck head coach out of Starkville HS in Mississippi. Southern football is a culture all on to its own.
Quote from: DaveBrown74 on January 12, 2024, 03:37:01 PMThis is a big time hire in my opinion. This guy can flat out coach. I love this for Alabama.
https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1745905638247420405
He made a hige mistake as he is buying at the high as Bama can go only one way (down) and it will be on him. I'm fbhe stayed at UW, they'd have paid up. He has zero ties in the South. Yes he can coach but watch him lose 4 games in his first season.
Someone had to take the job. This guy is as capable as anyone in the country outside of Saban himself and maybe Harbaugh. Who else out there is a better coach? I understand the points about recruiting but the program has pipelines that he'll be able to tap into. Plus the portal is a massive factor now, and plenty of talented kids will want to play for him given what he has done with the UW program. I'm not so down on this (either from Alabama's or DeBoer's perspective) as you guys are.
I will qualify this as I am not a regular consumer of college sports. That said, I have to think it's tough to be a fan of anything but the elite programs. Here Washington has a great season and think they have their coach to lead them to continued greatness only to see him snatched away by Alabama. It reminded me of college basketball where the little St Peters program had a Cinderella season on to have that season cost them their head coach (off to be a bigger and better program)
Quote from: MightyGiants on January 13, 2024, 08:59:38 AMI will qualify this as I am not a regular consumer of college sports. That said, I have to think it's tough to be a fan of anything but the elite programs. Here Washington has a great season and think they have their coach to lead them to continued greatness only to see him snatched away by Alabama. It reminded me of college basketball where the little St Peters program had a Cinderella season on to have that season cost them their head coach (off to be a bigger and better program)
There is a lot of truth to what you're saying. It has gotten even crazier in recent years with the transfer portal and NIL, with coaches and boosters now recruiting other college teams' players with the lure of cash and other incentives.
I personally love college football for a lot of reasons, but I'm not going to pretend there aren't major issues with it.
Quote from: DaveBrown74 on January 13, 2024, 06:10:58 AMSomeone had to take the job. This guy is as capable as anyone in the country outside of Saban himself and maybe Harbaugh. Who else out there is a better coach? I understand the points about recruiting but the program has pipelines that he'll be able to tap into. Plus the portal is a massive factor now, and plenty of talented kids will want to play for him given what he has done with the UW program. I'm not so down on this (either from Alabama's or DeBoer's perspective) as you guys are.
Bad reason for someone to take the job. I like him a lot as a coach but his entire college career gas been in Upper Plains/Pacific NW, hardly bastions of fertile recruits. It will take him years to establish ties to high school coaches in the South. That may mean some losses. Who is poised to benefit? UGA, LSU, Ole Miss, others. Bama may buy recruits like other SEC schools do but anybody other than Nick Saban is likely considered a downgrade by recruits which opens the door to other schools.
Quote from: Philosophers on January 13, 2024, 10:36:02 AMBad reason for someone to take the job. I like him a lot as a coach but his entire college career gas been in Upper Plains/Pacific NW, hardly bastions of fertile recruits. It will take him years to establish ties to high school coaches in the South. That may mean some losses. Who is poised to benefit? UGA, LSU, Ole Miss, others. Bama may buy recruits like other SEC schools do but anybody other than Nick Saban is likely considered a downgrade by recruits which opens the door to other schools.
From what I was told Saban is staying on as a consultant and going to do a lot of the hand shaking and baby kissing.
Really thankful Kiffin is not going to leave ole miss any time soon as he has made it into a top 10 program regularly so there's no need to go elsewhere.
Quote from: Jclayton92 on January 13, 2024, 10:44:44 AMFrom what I was told Saban is staying on as a consultant and going to do a lot of the hand shaking and baby kissing.
Dont think that helps. He wants out. He'll have an office. Will do minimum. Recruits will know he's not the coach.
Also, I think of success in tiers from easy to most difficult - 1) perennial 0.500 team or better, 3 loss or better, 2 loss or better and finally 1 loss or better. Getting into next tier is extremely difficult.
Over past 15+ years I'd say Alabama was generally in the 1 loss or better and only team there. That is Mt. Rushmore. Nearly impossible to do. Kalen will not sustain that. No way. He's good but not that good. Bama fans are used to that and think that is the norm. It's not.