re: Coach Saban vs Coach Bear Bryant.

quote:

---

Don't buy the SEC was that much weaker in the 60's and 70's. Do you have the figures to back this up?

---

Yes, that's easy.

*During Bryant's 25 seasons at Alabama, the SEC produced 7 teams that finished #1 in the final AP poll.
*During Saban's 9 seasons at Alabama, the SEC also produced 7 teams that finished #1 in the final AP poll.

In terms of AP National Champs, what took the SEC 25 years during the Bryant era, the conference accomplished in 9 years during the Saban era.

How about Top 5 teams?

*During Bryant's 25 seasons at Alabama, the SEC produced 28 Top 5 teams... averaging 1.12 per season
*During Saban's 9 seasons at Alabama, the SEC produced 17 Top 5 teams... averaging 1.89 per season

What is also astounding is the variety of programs that have had major success during the Saban era as opposed to the Bryant era.

Only 3 SEC programs won AP National Titles during the Bryant era: LSU (1958), Georgia (1980), and Alabama (1961, 1964, 1965, 1978, 1979).

Contrast that with the Saban era where there have been four SEC programs win National Titles in far less than half the amount of time: LSU (2007), Florida (2008), Auburn (2010), and Alabama (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015).

During the Bryant era, only six SEC programs managed a Top 5 finish in the AP Poll: Tennessee (1967, 1970); Auburn (1958, 1963, 1972); LSU (1958, 1959, 1961); Ole Miss (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962); Georgia (1959, 1966, 1980, 1982); and Alabama (1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979).

During the Saban era, an astounding 9 SEC programs have produced Top 5 teams in just 9 seasons: Arkansas (2011); Texas A&M (2012); South Carolina (2013); Missouri (2013); Auburn (2010, 2013); Georgia (2007, 2012); Florida (2008, 2009); LSU (2007, 2011); Alabama (2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015).

You could try to argue that there are simply more schools in the SEC now... but even if you calculate it by the percentage of the league, the Saban era has still produced far more quality teams from more of a variety of programs. 58% of the SEC programs produced at least one Top 5 team during the 25 seasons of Bryant at Alabama. But 70% of the SEC has finished in the Top 5 during just 9 seasons of Saban at Alabama.

The facts show its not even close. The SEC was far weaker during the Bryant years. I think you could argue that Bryant actually made the SEC weaker as a whole. The strongest years for the conference as a whole during the Bryant era were 1958-1962. In those first 5 seasons of the Bryant era, the SEC produced 11 teams that finished in the Top 5... averaging a very impressive 2.2 per season. And it was quite a variety of programs (LSU #1 in 1958, #2 in 1959, #4 in 1961)... Auburn #4 in 1958... Georgia #5 in 1959... Ole Miss #2 in 1959, #2 in 1960, #5 in 1961, #3 in 1962... and Alabama #1 in 1961, #5 in 1962.

But from 1963 through the end of the Bryant era in 1982, the SEC produced just 17 Top 5 teams during a 20-year period.... just 0.85 per year. It just so happens that after Bryant had 5 seasons to take all the power in the conference, the SEC became much weaker as a whole. The two decade period from 1963 through the end of the Bryant era in 1982 was the weakest prolonged period in the history of the SEC as a whole.

Sure enough, as soon as Bryant exited the league after 1982, the SEC produced two Top 5 teams in 1983 for the first time in 17 years: Auburn #3 and Georgia #4. In 1984, Florida finished #3. And in 1985, Tennessee finished #4 and Florida finished #5. It was as if the SEC entered a mini-renaissance as soon as Bryant retired.

I think its obvious the SEC was weaker during the Bryant era... and I think the facts show Bryant may have actually been the cause of it.