Jacie
7/7/2010, 02:31 PM
The following article reads like a parody of It's A Wonderful Life
Column: What if Rodriguez had said yes to Alabama?
By Christopher Walsh, BamaOnLine.com Senior Writer
Jul 6, 9:36 pm EDT
One has to wonder how many University of Alabama fans thought about using their stationary shortly after the Crimson Tide won the BCS national championship to write something like the following:
“Dear Rita: Thank for so much for not letting your husband take the job at Alabama. It may have been the best thing that ever happened to us. Bless your heart and good luck at Michigan.”
For those who don’t remember, or don’t care to remember, before Alabama hired Nick Saban in January 2007 it first made a strong pitch for West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, who apparently was set to take the job only to change his mind at his wife’s urging.
As part of its summer “What if” series, ESPN’s “College Football Live” posed the question Tuesday regarding Alabama and what might have happened had Rodriguez landed at the Capstone. After being asked to contribute to the segment I got to thinking about how the dominoes could have fallen.
At the time Rodriguez was a hot commodity. When he said yes to Michigan in 2008 the Mountaineers had notched the first back-to-back Top 10 finishes in school history, won three Big East titles and made four straight January bowl appearances.
But that’s also when things started to unravel. Rodriguez left only four months after renegotiating his contact, which included a provision that the coach pay a $4 million buyout if he left West Virginia within one year. The issue resulted in lawsuits and an eventual settlement.
A number of Michigan players left, like quarterback Ryan Mallett, and some openly criticized the coaching staff including Justin Boren, who not only cited “lack of family values” but went to rival Ohio State and earned All-Big Ten honors.
If the subsequent worst season in Michigan history wasn’t bad enough, 3-9, which snapped the 33-year bowl string, the Wolverines were also tagged with their first-ever major NCAA violations due to illegal practice time. As that unfolded, Michigan went 5-7 last season, with Rodriguez’s record dropping to 1-5 against rivals Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan State.
Should he have signed with Alabama, a few things are pretty obvious:
1. No national championship or SEC title last season.
2. No Heisman Trophy. Without Saban the chances of running back Mark Ingram coming to Alabama were none. His second and third choices were Iowa and Michigan State.
“Everyone assumed that I was a Michigan State lock because my father went there and it was the home state school,” Ingram told BamaOnline after he signed. “I was always going to go on my own path, whether it was Michigan State or Iowa or Alabama. All of the schools that recruited me did a great job. Iowa had a great opportunity for playing time and I got along real well with their coaches. Alabama in the end was just where I felt I would fit in best.
“I am positive this is the right decision. I am already looking forward to getting to Tuscaloosa and getting started. I have a chance to go in and make an immediate impact as a freshman.”
3. No top-rated signing classes. Rodriguez’s recruiting classes at Michigan were ranked No. 10 and 8, respectively, by Rivals. Although it’s impossible to know how he would have done with in-state prospects, players like Kareem Jackson, James Carpenter and Terrence Cody almost certainly would have gone elsewhere.
4. No stadium expansion. Without the quick turnaround under Saban there would have been nearly no way to justify the expense, especially with the corresponding economic downturn developing.
Ok, now let’s really speculate.
1) The Tide might have been in serious trouble with the NCAA. With the program’s history and the textbook scandal, additional changes regarding practice time, had they come to light, might have been the equivalent of the Committee of Infractions placing Alabama football on a golf tee. That’s even with the assumption Rodriguez would have handled the textbook issue as well as Saban, who immediately suspended five players for four games.
2) Although Rodriguez could have potentially recruited better in Alabama than at Michigan, Tide fans aren’t known for their patience. Athletics director Mal Moore, who said he needed a home run when he hired Saban, probably wouldn’t have survived another coaching setback.
3) Chances are Saban would have stayed with the Miami Dolphins for at least one more season. He considered Alabama the right program at the right time, and there really wasn’t another comparable alternative that offseason.
A year later saw openings at Michigan and Nebraska. Imagine Saban coaching the Wolverines with Mallett his quarterback and Ingram signing on.
Additionally, perhaps Saban being available (and he has a terrific agent in Jimmy Sexton) could have prompted Notre Dame to make an earlier decision regarding Charlie Weiss. Maybe knowing a Saban return was possible would have prompted Les Miles to ride off into the Michigan sunset after the national championship.
4) Other coaching moves might not have occurred. Atop that list has to be Tommy Tuberville at Auburn, who would have fared better in in-state recruiting and had a great opportunity to further extend his winning streak against Alabama while Rodriguez turned over the Tide while installing his spread offense. Also, one has to wonder about Sylvester Croom at Mississippi State, Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee, and even Tommy Bowden at Clemson.
5) Florida could be looking at a dynasty. Tim Tebow might have won his second Heisman and become the most decorated player in college football history. The Gators would have been favored over Texas at the Rose Bowl and possibly won their third national title in four years.
That might have resulted in Urban Meyer stepping down and staying with that decision. So while Florida could have potentially spent this past offseason trying to lure Saban away from the Dolphins, Alabama might have simultaneously conducted a coaching search while possibly facing the same situation when Mike Price (and Mike Shula) was hired, dealing with harsh NCAA sanctions.
Who knows?
Column: What if Rodriguez had said yes to Alabama?
By Christopher Walsh, BamaOnLine.com Senior Writer
Jul 6, 9:36 pm EDT
One has to wonder how many University of Alabama fans thought about using their stationary shortly after the Crimson Tide won the BCS national championship to write something like the following:
“Dear Rita: Thank for so much for not letting your husband take the job at Alabama. It may have been the best thing that ever happened to us. Bless your heart and good luck at Michigan.”
For those who don’t remember, or don’t care to remember, before Alabama hired Nick Saban in January 2007 it first made a strong pitch for West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, who apparently was set to take the job only to change his mind at his wife’s urging.
As part of its summer “What if” series, ESPN’s “College Football Live” posed the question Tuesday regarding Alabama and what might have happened had Rodriguez landed at the Capstone. After being asked to contribute to the segment I got to thinking about how the dominoes could have fallen.
At the time Rodriguez was a hot commodity. When he said yes to Michigan in 2008 the Mountaineers had notched the first back-to-back Top 10 finishes in school history, won three Big East titles and made four straight January bowl appearances.
But that’s also when things started to unravel. Rodriguez left only four months after renegotiating his contact, which included a provision that the coach pay a $4 million buyout if he left West Virginia within one year. The issue resulted in lawsuits and an eventual settlement.
A number of Michigan players left, like quarterback Ryan Mallett, and some openly criticized the coaching staff including Justin Boren, who not only cited “lack of family values” but went to rival Ohio State and earned All-Big Ten honors.
If the subsequent worst season in Michigan history wasn’t bad enough, 3-9, which snapped the 33-year bowl string, the Wolverines were also tagged with their first-ever major NCAA violations due to illegal practice time. As that unfolded, Michigan went 5-7 last season, with Rodriguez’s record dropping to 1-5 against rivals Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan State.
Should he have signed with Alabama, a few things are pretty obvious:
1. No national championship or SEC title last season.
2. No Heisman Trophy. Without Saban the chances of running back Mark Ingram coming to Alabama were none. His second and third choices were Iowa and Michigan State.
“Everyone assumed that I was a Michigan State lock because my father went there and it was the home state school,” Ingram told BamaOnline after he signed. “I was always going to go on my own path, whether it was Michigan State or Iowa or Alabama. All of the schools that recruited me did a great job. Iowa had a great opportunity for playing time and I got along real well with their coaches. Alabama in the end was just where I felt I would fit in best.
“I am positive this is the right decision. I am already looking forward to getting to Tuscaloosa and getting started. I have a chance to go in and make an immediate impact as a freshman.”
3. No top-rated signing classes. Rodriguez’s recruiting classes at Michigan were ranked No. 10 and 8, respectively, by Rivals. Although it’s impossible to know how he would have done with in-state prospects, players like Kareem Jackson, James Carpenter and Terrence Cody almost certainly would have gone elsewhere.
4. No stadium expansion. Without the quick turnaround under Saban there would have been nearly no way to justify the expense, especially with the corresponding economic downturn developing.
Ok, now let’s really speculate.
1) The Tide might have been in serious trouble with the NCAA. With the program’s history and the textbook scandal, additional changes regarding practice time, had they come to light, might have been the equivalent of the Committee of Infractions placing Alabama football on a golf tee. That’s even with the assumption Rodriguez would have handled the textbook issue as well as Saban, who immediately suspended five players for four games.
2) Although Rodriguez could have potentially recruited better in Alabama than at Michigan, Tide fans aren’t known for their patience. Athletics director Mal Moore, who said he needed a home run when he hired Saban, probably wouldn’t have survived another coaching setback.
3) Chances are Saban would have stayed with the Miami Dolphins for at least one more season. He considered Alabama the right program at the right time, and there really wasn’t another comparable alternative that offseason.
A year later saw openings at Michigan and Nebraska. Imagine Saban coaching the Wolverines with Mallett his quarterback and Ingram signing on.
Additionally, perhaps Saban being available (and he has a terrific agent in Jimmy Sexton) could have prompted Notre Dame to make an earlier decision regarding Charlie Weiss. Maybe knowing a Saban return was possible would have prompted Les Miles to ride off into the Michigan sunset after the national championship.
4) Other coaching moves might not have occurred. Atop that list has to be Tommy Tuberville at Auburn, who would have fared better in in-state recruiting and had a great opportunity to further extend his winning streak against Alabama while Rodriguez turned over the Tide while installing his spread offense. Also, one has to wonder about Sylvester Croom at Mississippi State, Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee, and even Tommy Bowden at Clemson.
5) Florida could be looking at a dynasty. Tim Tebow might have won his second Heisman and become the most decorated player in college football history. The Gators would have been favored over Texas at the Rose Bowl and possibly won their third national title in four years.
That might have resulted in Urban Meyer stepping down and staying with that decision. So while Florida could have potentially spent this past offseason trying to lure Saban away from the Dolphins, Alabama might have simultaneously conducted a coaching search while possibly facing the same situation when Mike Price (and Mike Shula) was hired, dealing with harsh NCAA sanctions.
Who knows?