Don’t be shocked when Tide rolls again next season
Might as well get used the "A" sign, Georgia fans. Bama may win it again next year.
Tim Tebow is gone and Urban Meyer . . . well, who knows about Urban Meyer. But last month’s foreshadowing in the Georgia Dome of Alabama becoming the new kings of the SEC and possibly the nation was confirmed Thursday night.
The Crimson Tide won SEC and BCS championships in only Nick Saban’s third season, defeating two great teams, Florida and Texas, respectively. And don’t be surprised if next season the Tide becomes the first program since Nebraska in1994 and 1995 to repeat as national champions.
Consider: Saban, the first coach to win titles BCS titles at two schools (LSU previously), is just getting his program going now. His team this season still included many players inherited from Mike Shula. What happens when he gets everything in place?
Alabama will lose several players off their defense, including junior linebacker Rolando McClain (projected as a top 10 pick in the NFL draft), cornerback Javier Arenas and defensive tackle Terrence Cody. But don’t expect a step back. Heisman Trophy winning running back Mark Ingram was only a sophomore this season. So was wide receiver Julio Jones. Quarterback Greg McElroy already has announced he’s returning for his senior season. Three of five starting offensive linemen will be back.
On defense, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, lost earlier this season to a knee injury, will be back. So will the safety who led them in interceptions (Mark Barron) and the defensive end who led the SEC in sacks (Marcell Dareus).
Human nature often leads athletes to let up after a championship season. But with Saban, I somehow don’t think that’s going to be an issue. He’ll sell his players on the opportunity to accomplish something that no college program has in 15 years. He’ll tell them they can go undefeated two straight seasons (and they can). He’ll keep the foot on the pedal — which, by the way, is easier to do with college players than in pros.
The only question is whether Saban can keep his coaching staff intact, specifically defensive coordinator Kirby Smart. But if Smart doesn’t get a head coaching offer, him leaving Tuscaloosa for the defensive coordinator’s job at Georgia still seems like a long shot.
By the way, if you’re wondering about the Tide’s schedule next season, I’ve listed it below. Another undefeated season looks plausible. Then again, that Nov. 20 game against Georgia State could be difficult. So take a look at the schedule and tell me: Do you think Bama goes 14-0 again?
ALABAMA’S 2010 SCHEDULE 9/4 SAN JOSE STATE9/11 PENN STATE
9/18 at Duke
9/25 at Arkansas
10/2 FLORIDA
10/9 at South Carolina
10/16 OLE MISS
10/23 at Tennessee
11/6 at LSU
11/13 MISSISSIPPI STATE
11/20 GEORGIA STATE
11/26 AUBURN (Also possible SEC title and bowl game)
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252 comments Add your comment
Sam Houston
January 8th, 2010
12:52 am
Schedule? Schedule? The mighty SEC is cake.
Sam Houston
January 8th, 2010
12:53 am
Oh yeah…I think I was first. And Bama’s schedule is still WEAK. But congratulations to them – they played a great game for three quarters tonight – if only they would play Boise, we could determine who the real national champion is.
Cheeseburger..
January 8th, 2010
12:55 am
9/25 Arkansas! Watch that game.
CW
January 8th, 2010
1:00 am
Panthers are gonna kill ‘em.
Texas Pete
January 8th, 2010
1:01 am
Alabama did not outplay Texas. They lucked out and stumbled into a victory.
Mike Bobo is Clueless
January 8th, 2010
1:03 am
The Tide will have to stop Georgia’s 250 yard a game rushing offense in the SEC Champ 2010 (Georgia’s average for the last several games).
The Tide ain’t gonna have no 100 yard rushers against Georgia.
Not gonna happen.
Ga 31, Bama 17, SEC Champ 2010
Joe
January 8th, 2010
1:03 am
What about Richardson coming back? That guy is a freak.
MagnaCarterGT
January 8th, 2010
1:03 am
Total trap game against Duke. (And yes, I’m the same person who said you were being premature on Twitter.)
Peter
January 8th, 2010
1:03 am
At Arkansas, Tennessee & LSU is too much of a road schedule. They will lose one of those.
Ginger
January 8th, 2010
1:05 am
don’t think Bama goes 14-0 again…they will be mighty good team particularly as long as Saban there. Bama came close this yr to losing against Tenn and Auburn…sometime you just have to have a little luck too….Tenn should have made that FG against them to win.
Bobo Bobo, a pirates life for me
January 8th, 2010
1:06 am
Go Dawgs 2010!
Whopper Dawg
January 8th, 2010
1:06 am
Florida at home and the off week before LSU away, sets up as good as you can get. They could do it, but everyone needs the right bounce of the ball now and then to go undefeated.
Ginger
January 8th, 2010
1:09 am
Don’t see Kirby coming to GA…..Good chance that he gets Texas Tech HC job or it not then another HC job in the next yr or so…..His Bama D played very well at the Big show tonight….CMR needs to switch gears….If it is Grantham…they gotta be willing to outbid Jerry Jones and Jones is willing to pay to keep the coaches that he likes with the Boys…..CMR needs to think about Sal Sunseri (before Saban names him DC if Kirby goes), DeRuyter AF, Nix……It was proven tonight that a big ole great defense is the best offense
Kirby Smart's Agent
January 8th, 2010
1:10 am
They will lose to Georgia……State that is.
Jive Lady
January 8th, 2010
1:20 am
Hope Saban suffers no ill-effects from that earful of Gatorade he got tonight, guess he should feel fortunate they didn’t knock him out with that thermos…
JNasty
January 8th, 2010
1:22 am
EVERYBODY said this last year bout UF’s team…”Oh they’re returning their whole defense..two-deep”..blah blah….It’s a long season, especially in the SEC…Teams like LSU, Auburn, UGA will be back to test the BAMA’s and the UFs dont see either going undefeated next season.
I expect Tenn. to a step back (whole O-line gone & Hardesty & Berry) and Ole Miss (lose significant talent on both sides)
UGA will have as much talent as anyone…but the DEF. HAS to be fixed! immediately! You fix the DEF. UGA is a Top 5 team…the off. is actually better than when they won SEC championships (at least Pts. per game-wise).
Don’t be shocked when Tide rolls again next season
January 8th, 2010
1:23 am
[...] the story on Topix Posted in [...]
MagnaCarterGT
January 8th, 2010
1:27 am
To be serious, I don’t see Bama going 14-0. They have tough matches vs. Florida and at LSU first, plus the Iron Bowl at the end of the season. I see them losing at least one of those but still winning the SEC West, and maybe the championship too – too early to tell about that, though.
#2 BAMA FAN
January 8th, 2010
1:47 am
Bama will not go 14-0 next year but will win the SEC Championship in 2010!! BAMA IS BACK!!!
Watch out UcheaT and the cow college!!
matt r
January 8th, 2010
1:52 am
Here’s saying Saban will move on within 5 years… back to the NFL or to a different college. I think he has the Parcells ego-thing that can keep him going after fixer-uppers and constantly prove how great he is (not his team and players).
DP
January 8th, 2010
2:00 am
I’m an Alabama guy. Let me enjoy this championship for a little while before worrying too much about that 2010 schedule. But no, I don’t see another 14-0 next season, not with Penn State, then that 6 game stretch of Arkansas through LSU and with one thing you leave out Jeff, 6 games next year against teams coming off bye weeks. Look up the record over the years of SEC games when one team was coming off a bye and the other wasn’t.
Even though I loved the win I felt bad for Colt McCoy getting knocked out early in his last game. He was a great college player and is a great kid. Texas showed incredible toughness and heart to come back in the second half after losing McCoy and having that disastrous ending to the first half. A lesser team would have packed it in. They have some stud athletes.
SEC FANATIC
January 8th, 2010
2:23 am
Bama vs Florida rematch in the SECCG. Bama looks tough next year but probably not undefeated. The SEC will take it all again, maybe they should just retire the trophy!!
Got 12?
January 8th, 2010
2:33 am
Roll Tide Roll!!!
To the fans of other SEC schools who pulled for us tonight, thank you for the support!
To the others, thank you for the motivation.
AFDawg
January 8th, 2010
2:39 am
I sensed some backlash from the Bama players against Saban towards the end of the game — especially with the gatorade bath. One Bama player walked by Saban without even acknowledging him when Saban was walking around thanking the fans. Saban seemed to be in a weird mood at the end of the game too. It probably has to do with Saban running the program like a corporate executive elitist (assistant coaches can’t talk to him during the week without making an appointment) and his complete lock down on the players during their off time in Pasadena. Yes — it’s been a formula for success (except for the melt down at the end of last year and the loss to LA Monroe), but I don’t see the chemistry holding together for a second year now that they’ve won the big prize once already.
James Adams
January 8th, 2010
2:43 am
Arkansas and LSU. One will trip ‘Bama up. It is next to impossible to repeat as SEC Champion. Haven’t had one since ‘97-’98. Arkansas reminds me of the New Orleans Saints. Give them half a defense..and watch out.
bird
January 8th, 2010
3:12 am
The SEC Championship Game was the real National Championship Game. Its not Bama’s fault that McCoy got knocked out the game. He would have gotten more of it had he still been in there. ROLL TIDE HATERS!!
Jerry
January 8th, 2010
3:32 am
Wow..the arrogance of it all…Bama and Florida the real national title game. Bama will lose 2 next year maybe 3. As for the game..would love to seen what would have happened with McCoy in there but thats football. However, the backup did expose the vaunted bama secondary. Would love to have seen what the Boise St. team could have done with it…remember, they didnt lose either….
Bird
January 8th, 2010
3:45 am
No arrogance at all. It is what it is. We all hate McCoy couldn’t be in there, got to tip ya hat to the defense, thats just football. Who cares about next year, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. We’re going to enjoy this Championship right now, if you don’t mind,
bird
January 8th, 2010
3:53 am
Texas really didn’t expose anything. Bama’s strength is up front not the secondary. A couple of guys got caught napping in man to man thats all. Texas did a good job picking up the blitz, which allowed their recievers to get open down field. No biggie.
UGA75
January 8th, 2010
4:38 am
That GA state game is going to be tough, if they have enough players to play the game, that game is flag football isn’t it? Great team, great coaches and better scheduler, play 8 games including the SEC and BCS while everyone else plays 10.
01HAWK
January 8th, 2010
5:50 am
It is a shame that Georgia fans can not give BAMA the respect they deserve. Georgia fans are behaving like AUBARN fans. Jealousy is something the fans will have to get over. I see BAMA and Florida again for SEC Championship. BAMA and whoever for the National Championship. It is a shame that BAMA had 8 players from Georgia on the team.
hammerhead
January 8th, 2010
6:31 am
Please leave Boise State out of the NC discussion. They play a ridiculously weak schedule every year and then draw a favorable matchup in their bowl game. Admittedly, I thought TCU would beat them, but to suggest that they could be one of the top teams in the nation just proves how silly college football really is (and I live for it
Make your argument for a playoff all you want, but to suggest that a team like Boise should have a shot at Alabama fot the national title is foolish. Please remember the one and only trip Boise made to the SEC – Athens, GA 2005. I was there, it wasn’t pretty.
David
January 8th, 2010
6:41 am
Maybe one loss, but most championship games have teams with one loss. The one thing I noticed about watching the Tide play this season is the fact that they BEAT UP teams, they physically beat up the opposing teams, this shows that they have a lot of depth and their strength and conditioning programs is as good as it gets, now if only the Falcons can get a strength and conditioning program as good as the Tide’s.
I see them playing for the title with one lose next year and winning another one.
Give them credit, their whole offensive side of the football is coming back along with Darius on defense with another number 1 recruiting class which makes 3 in a roll.
Oh, and by the way thier number 3 quarterback just got moved up to number 2 (how good is he), Star Jackson said he is transfering.
Alabama will win at least 2 more championships in the next 5 years.
D
Get Real
January 8th, 2010
6:48 am
01HAWK, the reason you and your Alabammer buddies don’t get any respect is because you act like a bunch of blabbering morons after every single win. I work around Bama fans every single day and they are ALL crazy and hold unrealistic expectations every year. Congrats on the victory and for representing the SEC well but da== buddy, you guys are idiots. Go eat some dead bear, thats what you people have been living on now for almost 30 years
Schultz
January 8th, 2010
6:49 am
[...] the story on Topix Posted in [...]
FalconUGAFan
January 8th, 2010
6:52 am
Congrats to both Alabama and Texas for a great MNC game. I agree that Alabama will be a force to reckon with.
AFDawg has some good points. Its hard to keep the clamps on forever, but success breeds success.
Brad in Jasper
January 8th, 2010
7:07 am
A UGA fan/alum with nothing but kudos to Bama and Texas for a fine game. I don’t hate, I admire – just like I watch with awe at UF’s tremendous run (which I’m not throwing grave dirt on them jeeeest yet. They’re still kings on the East until someone else mans up). One never knows when a run will begin or end, just enjoy it. I can do without the 2010 prognostications until August.
GSUAlum
January 8th, 2010
7:13 am
Go Panthers! Look for the upset. He’s a score to settle…
The Truth
January 8th, 2010
7:16 am
Saban takes his work very serious. His players and coaches are prepared and play hard. The SEC East is UF and UT and in the West Bama/LSU/Miss. Good coaches and good players.
On a UGA Rivals board tonight one of the “inside guys” and a self proclaimed “Posting Icon” said that he was really really impressed with McCoy’s God statements after the game and that is all in college football that really mattered. About 100 people agreed. Nothing wrong with God but it seems that religion is already that really matters to UGA. Winning is just not really all that important.
The UGA program is on decline and the decline will continue. UGA FB/BB deserves to be exactly where it is. Other than Vandy, least in the East.
JB
January 8th, 2010
7:23 am
Saban has no friends, makes no friends and wants no friends. He was close to being a jerk after that game, and the smart Bama players saw it.He almost want to yell, go away, this is about ME !
Bobbi Dud
January 8th, 2010
7:29 am
Easy games next year for Bama but the BAD news coming out soon about the Bama Program will ruin things for them! Win’em anyway you can runs true for the Tide!
01HAWK
January 8th, 2010
7:35 am
GET REAL…………………………Maybe you should hold CMR to realistic expectations. He will never win a National Championship for Georgia. BAMA fans just expect more from the team. Your hatred is uncalled for. You need counseling. Please stop sounding like the BARNERS on the PLAINS.
happydawg
January 8th, 2010
7:39 am
The road for Alabama will to through Atlanta, but they will have to beat Georgia to get there. No easy task against the Bulldogs because of a powerful offense and retooled defense. Georgia will knock them off.
GT53
January 8th, 2010
7:47 am
It is Alabama and then there is everyone else in the SEC including you little Bullpups
Charles
January 8th, 2010
8:00 am
Next job Kirby takes will be as a head coach. Ya, I know he’s a GA grad, but he’s a college coach now, and in the world of college coaches, taking the GA Defense Coordinator position would be at best a lateral move.
Charles
January 8th, 2010
8:01 am
“He almost want to yell, go away, this is about ME !”
Saban seems somewhat reluctant to ever speak to the media.
secondguesser
January 8th, 2010
8:05 am
Well I guess Urban is the better coach since he got his program going in what, his second year? Since he won it all in only his second year? Right Jeffy? Oh wait, it’s because Tebow was there. But he wasn’t the starter in 06. Didn’t have anything to do with that one did he Tebow haters? As for the reaction after the game? People call Urban egotistical! Got news for all of you, the great ones are all full of themselves! Mark it down. The Gators go to Tuscaloosa next year with John Brantley and take down the tide with a near repeat in the Championship game. The following year it will be all Gators!
01HAWK
January 8th, 2010
8:06 am
Georgia would be in a National Championship if they had SABAN. Sad to say but……………All of the Georgia fans would trade Saban for CMR in a second. Stop being jealous when someone wins and just be happy for them. It is just a game. Whether BAMA wins it next year is not the point. The point is CMR will never win a championship at Georgia and most schools would love to have SABAN.
I am happy that Rich Rodriquez at Michigan, and Mike Riley at Oregon State turned down the job at BAMA. Sometimes you have to keep trying to get the right one. Mike Price, Dubose, Shula and Francione were a joke when they were at BAMA. They got it right this time.
I commend Mike Shula on this though. He signed a 197 pound defensive tackle from San Antonio Texas by the name of Eryk Anders who had 1 – Star rating coming out of high school. The kid made a heckuva play causing the fumble towards the end of the game. He had planned on walking on at OLE MISS until Shula called him 2 months before fall practice started and offered a scholarship. Also, Arenas only scholarships was to Florida Atlantic, and Florida International and Shula recruited him also. Point is SABAN can turn a 1 star into a 4-5 star player and turn a struggling program around in a short time. CMR is not your man.
Rex
January 8th, 2010
8:06 am
as a Gator fan I KNOW…..just because ya win it all and bring back a bunch of folks, does NOT
mean you are gonna win it the next year…..BAMA will have a great team, but I would refrain from an Annointment………..afterall, look at how that whole “annointing” thing is working out in politics….
Eric
January 8th, 2010
8:11 am
Get real Miss Hawk. The barners are the ones wearing toilet paper and washing powder boxes on their heads. Congrats to the Alabama players on winning this years mythical championship. Enjoy it while you can. We’re coming after your red asses soon enough. War Damn Eagle!!!