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Sure, the Alabama program just did the feat four years ago with back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012. But before that, you’d have to go back to 1994-95 when Nebraska captured back-to-back titles.
It won’t be easy with a slew of fresh names and faces in key roles, but here are reasons why Alabama can win the trophy again:
10. Oddsmakers have posted odds of every FBS team’s national championship chances for next season and Alabama and Ohio State are tied at the top at 7-to-1.
9. The more things change, the more they stay the same. In the last seven years, coach Nick Saban’s team has won more national championships than it hasn’t. And just one time, the team lost more than two games.
8. WR Calvin Ridley is coming off a stellar freshman campaign, and will be one of the team’s top playmakers. Ridley led Alabama with 89 catches for 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns.
7. Redshirt freshman QB Blake Barnett continued a long line of Alabama and Nick Saban quarterbacks to redshirt. Only John Parker Wilson didn’t, and he played the first two seasons under Mike Shula. Barnett was a five-star recruit and one of the top quarterbacks in the country when he enrolled at Alabama. In October, Saban explained to AL.com why Barnett would likely redshirt.
“We’re developing him as a player and if we develop him to the point that we think he’s going to give us the best chance to win somewhere down the road, then we probably play him,” Saban said. “If that doesn’t present itself, then we’re certainly not interested in trying to waste a year if he’s not going to play enough to help his development.”
6. RB Bo Scarborough, another five-star recruit, is expected to be the next in line of great Crimson Tide running backs. The Tuscaloosa native transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Ala. for his senior season. He was ranked No. 16 in the Rivals 100, listed as the No. 2 athlete and No. 1 player in the state of Florida for the 2014 recruiting class. He was also selected to the Under Armour All-American Game.
5. A smooth coordinator transition. When former offensive coordinator Jim McElwain left for Colorado State, his replacement, Doug Nussmeier, improved the offense from 2011 to 2012. This time, coach Nick Saban hired a former assistant, Jeremy Pruitt, back to a staff that lost defensive coordinator Kirby Smart to Georgia.
4. Saban convinced Scott Cochran to stay (with a healthy raise). The so-called “secret weapon” of the Crimson Tide, the strength and conditioning coach was briefly thought to be following Smart to Athens. But a raise from $420,000 to $600,000 helped convince Cochran to stay.
3. With unmatched focus, don’t expect the Crimson Tide to let off the gas, especially as Saban has plenty of motivational examples beginning with the two recent Ole Miss losses. While Saban did crack a smile as confetti fell Monday night, Lane Kiffin didn’t think any celebration would last long.
Lane Kiffin was asked if Alabama won how Nick Saban would celebrate another national title: “We’d probably have a 7:30 a.m. staff meeting"
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 9, 2016
2. The offensive line returns the bulk of the starting lineup led by Cam Robinson, Alphonse Taylor and Ross Pierschbacher. Brandon Kennedy and Lester Cotton are among a list of highly touted recruits primed to step in.
1. The drive to match Paul “Bear” Bryant. Saban’s fifth national championship pulled him within one of the legendary coach. As it was, Saban joined Frank Leahy of Notre Dame as the only coaches to win four national championships in a seven-year span. One caveat is that Bryant shared three of his national titles, while one of Saban’s, of course, came at LSU. However it’s sliced, Saban still remains one title behind Bryant for their careers.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
