re: I feel really good about the offense.

As far as recruiting goes, all he really needs to do is win. Players always want to play for winners.

I am confident out offense will be much better next year. I'm keeping an open mind about QB. It was really great to see both Milroe and Simpson helping recruit. Problem is one or the other will probably be disappointed after spring practice.

On defense, I thought we improved over the previous year, stats be damned. But I think we still feel short of our talent level. If the staff can get them to play to their talent level we will be elite, and our recruiters will point that out. It won't matter that they are Saban's recruits, the narrative will be that the coaches got more out of them.

Saban made a statement to Mal Moore when he was hired.

quote:

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“You think you’ve hired the best coach in America, don’t you?” Saban said.

Moore said that, yes, he thought he had.

Saban refuted the answer of his new boss. “No,” he said. “You didn’t hire the best coach. But you did hire the best recruiter.”

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I think Saban stepped away because with the transfer portal and NIL, being a great recruiter means less and less. And I think Saban pushed for Kalen because he understood what will be important going forward will be being the best coach. Especially with a playoff system that will require you to win three or four games. TAMU, OSU, FSU, Miami are all showing that you won't be able to simply out talent the other teams. Everyone knows this isn't sustainable, so next year, there will be a couple other teams spending like crazy, and you won't see several of the ones who are blowing their money.