Sit Down Interview With Alabama GM Courtney Morgan

Thanks for posting.

Really candid interview, and it's definitely going to be a lot more fun having access to coaches, coordinators, and the program in general.

I do see why CNS preferred the "one voice" model though. It's definitely the more professional way to run a company/program, and you definitely cut down your risk of having some kind of soundbite gaffe or conflicting messages.

It's a risky thing to trust an entire coaching staff with you brand in the world we live in today where one wrong word could potentially create a shite-storm, but I find it really refreshing to have the access after so many years of being locked out.

Morgan seems like a people person, and it does indeed sound like they are not worried about "Star rankings," and do all their own evaluations relative to best fits for their system.

Everybody better get ready for a few 3 star headscratcher type commits that the staff deem in higher regard than the recruiting services. He was very candid talking about how some kids get ranked higher by playing the recruiting game, and using social media, but when you put their tape next to Joe Nobody sometimes you cant tell them apart. Sounds like they are going to be very meticulous and calculated about who they offer.

Bottom line Camp setting evals vs equal talent will rule the day so - get them kids on campus fellas !

I really like that they have criteria for each position and evaluate prospects to that rather than chase stars.

This was suggested to me in the YouTube app yesterday, so I've already seen it.

Interesting listen because we've basically had a media monolith (only Saban) outside of specific required scenarios for nearly 2 decades. It is interesting to hear a director of player personnel/general manager talk about their job.

You see that every year. The ones I can't seem to wrap my head around are the mid to low 3 star recruits that have 40 offers from all over the country, vs high 4 stars that sometimes only have 15 to 20 offers.

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Everybody better get ready for a few 3 star headscratcher type commits that the staff deem in higher regard than the recruiting services. He was very candid talking about how some kids get ranked higher by playing the recruiting game, and using social media, but when you put their tape next to Joe Nobody sometimes you cant tell them apart. Sounds like they are going to be very meticulous and calculated about who they offer. Bottom line Camp setting evals vs equal talent will rule the day so - get them kids on campus fellas !

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I have 100% trust in this staff making evals for the offensive side of the ball.

Gonna be a little more wait and see with regard to the defense. Some of the things that worked in other conferences in terms of size/speed/athleticism just won’t cut it against UGA, Texas and LSU.

Good answer on not being star-struck or intimidated walking into the Alabama football building and Saban’s kingdom. Said they hit the ground running and have only had time to work, like watching film on 60 DB prospects. We’re gonna be fine.

My biggest concern from that interview was the comment about recruiting within a 5 hour window. He said you could field a good team by doing that. I agree, but I think you need to look nationally to field consistent great teams. We have gotten a lot of great players from a longer ways away. The 5 hour window fits what UW has to do. And he referred to that.

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My biggest concern from that interview was the comment about recruiting within a 5 hour window. He said you could field a good team by doing that. I agree, but I think you need to look nationally to field consistent great teams. We have gotten a lot of great players from a longer ways away. The 5 hour window fits what UW has to do. And he referred to that.

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I think Saban also prioritized the 5 hour window. That's always the easiest draw for prospects: familiarity with the brand and essentially a day-trip drive for the parents to visit or student to go home. Alabama has a solid in-state recruiting landscape with great NFL Athlete per capita but the thing that has always kept Alabama in national relevance is their centrality in the Deep South. A 5-hour radius roughly covers all of Tennessee, Georgia, Northern Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Alabama will recruit nationally. They basically always have to some degree even as far back as Bryant. But, you've got to build that 500mi recruiting radius relationships because that will be 75% or more of your commits usually.

The last Bama QB who grew up within 5 hours of Tuscaloosa was Jake Coker.

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The last Bama QB who grew up within 5 hours of Tuscaloosa was Jake Coker.

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That's fair but if you stretch a bit and consider the whole of a state you can reach out and touch within 5 hours then Mac Jones from Florida counts. But yeah, two of our QBs were from Texas, one from Hawaii, and one from California.