http://www.al.com/sports/mobileregister/rkennedy.ssf?/base/sports/1120987076113770.xml&coll=3
Sunday, July 10, 2005 It's a sure thing that Mike Shula will win big as head coach at the University of Alabama -- at least, if recent history is any indicator. A study of the last 47 years of Alabama football leads to this inevitable conclusion: Shula is destined to have at least one 10-win season or be considered the biggest coaching failure at Alabama since Ears Whitworth. Between 1958 and when Shula was hired in 2003, Alabama had six head coaches (not counting the disgraced Mike Price, who did not coach a single game). All six had at least one season of double-digit wins. All six won at least nine games within their first three seasons. Shula has one more try to keep that streak alive. Many Tide fans are optimistic that Shula is on more solid footing now than at any time since he inherited a program in disarray and suffering through NCAA probation. Even so, the bar is set high. Even though not all of these coaches are considered legendary figures of college football (some far from it), all six of Shula's predecessors have achieved remarkable highs while in charge in Tuscaloosa. -- Dennis Franchione: Won 10 games in 2002 and at one point won 13 of 15 games (with the two losses being to nationally ranked Oklahoma and Georgia). -- Mike DuBose: Won 10 games in 1999. He had a couple of problems off the field that you may have heard about, but the point is that even someone who was completely overmatched by this position won a conference championship while struggling through. -- Gene Stallings: Won 13 games and a national championship in 1992. During one 31-game stretch, Stallings' teams won 30 and tied one. What Tide fans wouldn't do for another one of those debates about winning ugly. -- Bill Curry: Won 10 games in 1989, with one winning streak reaching 12 games. What Tide fans wouldn't do for another one of those debates about whether a successful coach also has to be a graduate of Alabama. -- Paul Bryant: Won 10 games ... Well, you know the story. You don't have to be a Tider insider -- or even a subscriber to TiderInsider.com -- to know that Shula has won 10 games combined in two years. But is there reason to believe he will join Bryant, Perkins, Curry, Stallings, DuBose and Franchione among the 10-win club at Alabama? Certainly the 2005 season has a chance to be much better than Shula's first two. For the first time since probation started taking a toll, the Tide is finally showing signs of developing some depth. There's a reason why a few key injuries have had such a devastating impact on Alabama's last two seasons, and it has as much to do with the lack of quality depth as which players were hurt. Alabama still can't afford an injury to quarterback Brodie Croyle or any of its top offensive or defensive linemen. But that can be said about many teams. For the first time, Shula will have a team experienced and stable enough to provide some indication of where Alabama's current head coach will stack up with his predecessors. Contact Randy Kennedy at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 251-219-5689. _______________________________________________ RTF mailing list RTF@rolltidefan.net http://rolltidefan.net/mailman/listinfo/rtf_rolltidefan.net
