Like it is

Bama bogged down by unrealistic expectations

WALLY HALL
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Kevin Scarbinsky, sports columnist for the Birmingham News, finished off his column on the Alabama-Arkansas game with a single sentence.
"That wasn't rain Saturday night, it was Paul 'Bear' Bryant crying."
And therein is the problem with the Crimson Tide faithful.
They just don't accept the fact that Bear Bryant is gone and he isn't coming back. Not in any shape or form, including those of his former players or assistants.
Whatever magic the Bear had went to the grave with him.
Period.
His was a gift that couldn't be taught, donated or given to anyone else.
He was one of a kind.
Mike DuBose can not be the Bear.
So, far be it for this sportswriter to say DuBose isn't the right guy to lead Alabama, but it appears he's just another Tide coach being held up to the image of the Bear.
Admittedly, something is wrong with the program that once was the pride of the SEC.
Having suffered through Danny Ford for five years it appears that at least some of the problems that plagued the Razorbacks during that time have hit Bama.
A boring, fairly predictable and one-dimensional offense.
A lack of intensity.
Too many penalties.
Not using prime-time players when it is prime time.
And an overall sense of despair.
In the aftermath of the loss, DuBose complained about the officials. Then he said the Tide defense hadn't played well.
The defense played OK, it just wasn't prepared for Houston Nutt's play-calling.
It was as if Alabama had studied film from the first two games of this season and forgot all the other games Nutt has coached.
On the touchdown throw to Marcellus Poydras, the Tide was looking for everything but that.
Saturday night, the best-coached team won.
Want to compare apples to apples?
DuBose is 22-18, and Nutt is 20-7.
Want to compare oranges to oranges?
Alabama had the ball 33:56 and ran 77 plays. Arkansas had the ball 26:04 and ran 62 plays.
Reverse those stats and the Razorbacks win by two touchdowns.
So, should DuBose be fired?
Probably not.
The Tide never should have been ranked No. 3 to open the season. That was ridiculous to say the least. DuBose did not vote his team No. 3 in the country.
Alabama (1-3) has lost to two ranked teams, UCLA and Southern Miss, plus the Razorbacks.
Bama started 10 sophomores, 5 on offense and 5 on defense, and in most people's book, that's a rebuilding season.
Yes, the Razorbacks are younger than the Crimson Tide, starting only five seniors last Saturday to seventh for Alabama.
Plus the Hogs start 7 sophomores and 3 freshmen (2 in the defensive backfield).
This is a very young Arkansas team, but it is a youngish Alabama team too.
The problem is, the fans of the Tide will barely tolerate a rebuilding year.
That is obvious from the unrest that exists despite DuBose and Alabama winning the SEC championship last season.
It was already being whispered that at least one older, bolder and richly colder booster had contacted Jackie Sherrill, who played and coached for the Bear, and emulated him for several years before maturing into his own personality.
Another booster, similar to other boosters, has supposedly put in a call to Tommy Bowden at Clemson.
Bama better be ready to go to the bank if they want the baby Bowden. He's already making $750,000, about $200,000 more per season than DuBose.
Perhaps DuBose can take a lesson from all the other Bryant prot使市 -- no, not get on probation -- and fire two or three assistants.
That usually gives a guy another season and a year from now, Bama should be starting 15 juniors and seniors.
Whatever happens over the course of this season, it is nice that it is someone else's coaching problem to deal with, especially after the Ford fiasco, Joe Kines and Jack Crowe.
Maybe that's why Bear Bryant was crying last Saturday night, he always wanted Houston Nutt at Alabama.

This article was published on Tuesday, September 26, 2000

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