I see Alabama didn't make the playoffs. SMU is better than Alabama? I doubt that. I might have to write a "vent column" ... still, I figured it was coming when SMU lost. If SMU would have lost by a large margin, Alabama would have probably made the field. Oh well, should have taken care of business in Norman.
To illustrate my point that Coach Bryant had great teams with few future NFL stars or high draft picks, the first player taken in the 1962 NFL draft after Alabama won the 1961 national title and gave up just 25 points, was All-American Billy Neighbors (in the fourth round). My late father was the next player selected in the draft from that team. Dad was picked in the 5th round by the St. Louis Cardinals. My father later opted to play for the AFL Houston Oilers, who picked him in the 6th round of the AFL draft. Neighbors also opted to play in the AFL for the Boston Patriots.
It was only later that I started thinking about how a team with no high-round draft picks could win all those college football games. My answer was that the team had an exceptional coach, who could win big with players who were not superstars coming out of high school
When Alabama won the national title in 1961, only one player on the team who played a significant amount of time was from outside the state of Alabama. Almost the entire roster of 35 or so players who lettered were from the state of Alabama (most from small towns).
When Alabama won one of its national titles under Coach Saban, I think only one or two starters were from the state of Alabama.
So Saban was recruiting nation-wide, while Coach Bryant was recruiting, almost exclusively, from one little state.
I see Alabama didn't make the playoffs. SMU is better than Alabama? I doubt that. I might have to write a "vent column" ... still, I figured it was coming when SMU lost. If SMU would have lost by a large margin, Alabama would have probably made the field. Oh well, should have taken care of business in Norman.
To illustrate my point that Coach Bryant had great teams with few future NFL stars or high draft picks, the first player taken in the 1962 NFL draft after Alabama won the 1961 national title and gave up just 25 points, was All-American Billy Neighbors (in the fourth round). My late father was the next player selected in the draft from that team. Dad was picked in the 5th round by the St. Louis Cardinals. My father later opted to play for the AFL Houston Oilers, who picked him in the 6th round of the AFL draft. Neighbors also opted to play in the AFL for the Boston Patriots.
It was only later that I started thinking about how a team with no high-round draft picks could win all those college football games. My answer was that the team had an exceptional coach, who could win big with players who were not superstars coming out of high school
When Alabama won the national title in 1961, only one player on the team who played a significant amount of time was from outside the state of Alabama. Almost the entire roster of 35 or so players who lettered were from the state of Alabama (most from small towns).
When Alabama won one of its national titles under Coach Saban, I think only one or two starters were from the state of Alabama.
So Saban was recruiting nation-wide, while Coach Bryant was recruiting, almost exclusively, from one little state.