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re: Bama fans, why didn't Ray Perkins work out as HC?
Posted on 9/19/25 at 7:26 am to Sandkhan
Posted on 9/19/25 at 7:26 am to Sandkhan
quote:
Perkins didn’t really win anywhere as a head coach except at Alabama.
Neither did Stallings. I think Perkins would have been better long term, but he didn't want to have to deal with the influence of the Alabama boosters at the time , who expected him to be another Bryant, immediately. The Tampa Bay Bucs owner offered him a great deal, without the pressure.
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Posted on 9/19/25 at 7:39 am to paperwasp
Perkins had just completed arguably his best season at Alabama, a 10-3 campaign, and had primed the program with some elite talents when he decided the time had come to step down.
In December of 1986, Perkins pledged to Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Hugh Culverhouse to return to the NFL. Assistants said they've never heard him discuss specifics about why he left.
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Well said. He had "I thnk" the #1 recruiting class coming in.
The Tampa Bay job was almost unheard of for a pro coach at the time. Perkins had a sour attitude per some alumni but so did Saban. I and my dad felt he finally turned the corner and was primed for a great year at Bama.
PS - Bama fans can be picky as hell. They thru a fit when the tower Coach Bryant used to overlook practice came down.
Much worse than the fans that complain about DeBores gameday outfits. Coach Bryant had drank himself to death and knew it was time. Rumor was he wanted Stallings to replace him.
In December of 1986, Perkins pledged to Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Hugh Culverhouse to return to the NFL. Assistants said they've never heard him discuss specifics about why he left.
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Well said. He had "I thnk" the #1 recruiting class coming in.
The Tampa Bay job was almost unheard of for a pro coach at the time. Perkins had a sour attitude per some alumni but so did Saban. I and my dad felt he finally turned the corner and was primed for a great year at Bama.
PS - Bama fans can be picky as hell. They thru a fit when the tower Coach Bryant used to overlook practice came down.
Much worse than the fans that complain about DeBores gameday outfits. Coach Bryant had drank himself to death and knew it was time. Rumor was he wanted Stallings to replace him.
This post was edited on 9/19/25 at 7:40 am
Posted on 9/19/25 at 9:44 am to makersmark1
quote:
Doug Flutie beat them.
Twice
ETA: It was those damned white helmets
This post was edited on 9/19/25 at 9:48 am
Posted on 9/19/25 at 10:34 am to Draino54
Perkins was all sharp points and angles as far as his personality. There was nothing smooth about him. He was 100% business, 100% driven. Coach Bryant knew how to schmooze the right people even if it was just lip service. Perkins was incapable of schmoozing anyone or anything.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 10:38 am to 1loyalbamafan
Like I said above, any coach who tells you he wouldn’t have leaped at the deal Tampa offered Perkins is a liar. Total control of the sideline and the front office of an NFL franchise. Yes he bombed out, but coaches are inherently control freaks and that level of control and money waved in front of their faces would be irresistible IMO.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 10:43 am to wareaglepete
quote:
You never never wanna be the guy to follow THE GUY. It’s common knowledge yet shite for brains like Kalen DeHarsin keep thinking they can do
quote:
wareaglepete
Name checks out.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 10:59 am to paperwasp
quote:
I'm old school, but I miss when coaches used to dress like this on the sidelines.
We should have a thread on here with each school's last coach that dressed like a freaking adult.
Mine would be Johnny Majors
But even he started to let it slide every now and then.
Now we have this...and it is the norm around the country.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 11:23 am to madmaxvol
quote:
We should have a thread on here with each school's last coach that dressed like a freaking adult.
….with the following coach for good measure. The Stallings/Dubose juxtaposition is…well it’s stark.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 11:43 am to InkStainedWretch
Perkins no showed a bunch of booster events, changed from coke to Pepsi, lost other sponsors, pissed off every major booster in the program, pissed off high school coaches, etc.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 11:46 am to TheFourHorsemen
He didn’t want to coach for a-hole fans like you, either.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 11:50 am to Sandkhan
quote:
4 years with one 10 win season has gotten several coaches fired in Tuscaloosa
False. Perkins won 8, 5, 9 and 9 games during his HC stint at bama.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 11:56 am to thatthang
quote:
Name checks out.
It applies in all situations, not just Bama. Remember UCLA basketball? Gene Bartow was a great coach. Took UCLA to the Final Four. It wasn't good enough. Frank Solich went to a National Championship game. It wasn't good enough.
Someone is always cocky enough to think they will be the one though.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 12:04 pm to 308
I read an interview he gave during his first year with the Bucs (or maybe it was just after the season ended), but he was playing golf with the reporter and said the life of an NFL coach wasn't as hectic in the offseason as a college coach. Think the money and control and getting away from the shadow of the Bear is why he left.
Posted on 9/19/25 at 12:08 pm to Fearless and True
!986, Alabama went 10-3
Coach Perkins last game coached for Alabama was the Sun Bowl
Coach Perkins last game coached for Alabama was the Sun Bowl
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