It’s January 1, 2020. The beginning of a new year, and also the beginning of a new decade. But before we spend any time analyzing what 2020 holds for the Crimson Tide, I think it’s important to reflect upon the past decade and realize just how dominate the Crimson Tide was in College Football.
Since 2009, the Alabama Crimson Tide has taken over College Football. So much so, they got rid of the BCS and started the CFB Playoff, which Alabama also became a dominant part of, until this season. But don’t worry, they’ll be back.
There’s no question that the most dominant team of this past decade was Alabama. After all, there’s a reason Alabama’s success has become titled the “Dynasty.”
When you look at the statistics of the past decade for the Crimson Tide, it’s incredible.
- 123-15 record
- 5 SEC Championships
- 4 National Championships
- 28 NFL first round picks
- 5 CFB Playoff appearances
- 10 consecutive years of bowl game appearances
- 5 Heisman finalists
- 1 Heisman Winner
And MORE.
It’s mind blowing.
And we can all thank Nick Saban for that. He’s completely changed football at the University of Alabama. He’s the ONLY coach in the SEC to coach at the same university the entire past decade. Take a moment to let that sink in.
Saban has created a standard for success that every other university within the SEC strives to achieve. It’s one reason why the coaching turnover has become so high in the SEC. You have programs who desire a National Championship, and are doing whatever they can to attain that. Simply put: Saban has done a fantastic job securing his job, while causing other coaches to have to work hard to create job security for themselves.
But it’s more than just winning that Saban is good at, it’s the culture he has created, that has forever changed Alabama.
In my opinion, Saban has done a fantastic job with molding these players in a way that not only helps them become better players who do well in the NFL, but he’s explained over the years that one of his focuses is making these boys better men. I think you can truly tell that he loves and cares about these players. Every single one of them.
He pushes them, encourages them, supports them, and yet, he’s honest with them. Sure, some people may think that Saban shouldn’t tell his players whether they should declare for the draft or return, but the players desire his opinion and advice. These players know their coach has their best interest in mind. If I was a player and Saban told me that if I returned, I would not only improve my draft stock but potentially be making MILLIONS more in a contract next season, you better believe I’d listen to him. And these players do.
It’s also why Alabama has continuously had top recruiting classes every year, and 2020 is no different. Players want to play for, and learn from the best.
And that’s exactly what Nick Saban is: the best. Some may call him crazy, and some may even call him a control freak, but everyone calls him a winner.
And that’s exactly what Alabama has done over the past decade: win. And I don’t see that changing or slowing down anytime soon.