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Editor's Note
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Bill Curry was the head football coach at Alabama from 1987-89. He resigned in January of 1990 with a record of 26-10 overall, 14-6 in the SEC -- including the SEC Championship in 1989 -- and led the Crimson Tide to three straight bowl appearances.
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The question may be asked if it was too quick to pull the trigger on Mike DuBose's coaching career at Alabama. There are two requirements as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. The first is to withstand -- indeed, flourish under -- the intense demands and rich tradition of the program. The second is to have a "family" connection -- that is, to come from Bear Bryant's family of players.
DuBose fulfilled the Bryant pedigree, but the other demand has not been met this year. And when it was not, anyone who understands the situation at Alabama knew what was going to happen. As the coach, you know what is expected of you when you sign up for the job. Whether or not it is fair doesn't matter, that is just the way it is.
|  | | The decision to push Mike DuBose out apparently was made after Saturday's loss to Central Florida. |
When you are highly ranked going into a season -- Alabama was No. 3 in the preseason polls -- you must play like a highly ranked team. You must not lose to teams that are perceived to be lesser quality teams. And if you do, you mustn't do it again for a long, long time. Coach Bryant lost some, but not very often. You must beat Auburn, which DuBose's teams have done. Above all, you must not embarrass the program. Taking a third-ranked team to a 3-5 record with three non-conference losses at the midpoint of the year is an embarrassment.
There was clearly a misunderstanding about what kind of team this year's Tide was going to be. At the Orange Bowl last year, the Tide demonstrated a stunning, balanced offense, with an excellent passing and running game. After beating Florida in the Swamp the first time they met, the Tide hammered the Gators in the SEC championship. They returned 17 players this year. When you finish a season that strongly and have most of your players back, you are expected to produce.
But this year's Tide didn't produce right away, then the quarterbacks were moved around. The coaches began to be jockeyed from the sideline to the booth and back, and questions arose in the already troubled minds of the players.
There were disciplinary issues. Before the Arkansas game, the edict came down: Freddie Milons would not start. When they got to Fayetteville it was a different story -- not only did Milons start, the ball went to him on the first play of the game. When you tell a team something, then don't live up to it, players begin to look at each other sideways.
Of course, these are the things I saw from the outside, as an analyst. Obviously, an awful lot occurred that I didn't see which brought DuBose and the Alabama program to their current unfavorable situation.
I can tell you from experience that the pressure and the intensity of the scrutiny is incomparable and indescribable. There is nothing like it college football, with the possible exception of Notre Dame; but at Notre Dame there's no requirement one must be a former player of Knute Rockne's.
Although I have no earthly idea who will replace DuBose, I understand Tommy Bowden and Frank Beamer have been mentioned as possible candidates. I would be surprised if either of them would leave their current posts for Alabama, but they might. Alabama may be a more high profile job than Clemson or Virginia Tech, respectively, but it may not be more conducive to a quality of life.
While I was at Alabama, there were some wonderful people who were helpful to our program all the way through. People like Winton Blount, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Blount was always up front and always made his position very clear. But there were people then and there are some now -- people in positions of power, who can undermine a coach -- who do not make their positions clear.
Unfortunately for the Tide, anyone who would be a viable candidate knows this, and it makes the job less attractive. There is no question the Tide will get a very good football coach, but they can no longer -- as they used to -- go out and get anybody they want.
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Low Tide in Alabama: DuBose stepping down
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