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Could a major college football coach survive Bear Bryant's 1969 and 1970?
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:30 pm
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:30 pm
Sandwiched between Bear Bryant's mid-1960s run and his legendary 1970s run were 1969 and 1970 where Alabama went 6-5 and 6-5-1 respectively. Obviously Bear Bryant had built quite a bit of trust, but also coaches had a much longer leash in those days (with much smaller salaries).
My question is, would a similarly successful coach toady survive back-to-back bad seasons in today's what have done for me lately world?
My question is, would a similarly successful coach toady survive back-to-back bad seasons in today's what have done for me lately world?
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Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:31 pm to TeddyWestside
nope
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:40 pm to TeddyWestside
quote:
1969 and 1970 where Alabama went 6-5 and 6-5-1 respectively.
Nope... especially when you also consider that they lost to Tennessee in both 1967 and 1968.
By the end of the 1970 season, they had lost 2 straight Iron Bowls to Auburn and they had lost 4 straight to Tennessee. No way a Bama coach would survive that today.
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:41 pm to TeddyWestside
Yes.
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:42 pm to TeddyWestside
Saban could do it, and that’s about it. Urbz used up one of his off years in 2010, so...
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:44 pm to Sid E Walker
Saban could probably drop his pants and take a shite on the field mid game and not get fired.
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:44 pm to TeddyWestside
You mean, after winning multiple national championships in the previous 6 seasons? Yes. I think many major college football coaches could survive that.
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:44 pm to Sid E Walker
In 1979 Bama was a powerhouse running a wishbone and a bone crushing defense....I had the opportunity to watch them play and it was awe inspiring.
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:46 pm to TeddyWestside
What you are asking is if a coach with 3 national titles, 4 conference titles, and 9 top-10 finishes in the last 10 years would survive 2 seasons with merely winning records.
You are living in a fantasy world if you think they wouldn’t.
You are living in a fantasy world if you think they wouldn’t.
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:47 pm to TeddyWestside
A coach who won 3 national championships in the current decade wouldn't get fired today for two mediocre seasons. There would be a ton of clamouring, but he wouldn't get fired. Not even close.
This post was edited on 7/20/18 at 4:49 pm
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:47 pm to reel_gator8
I was attending UF then, sat in the student section and loved every second of that 40-0 thrashing. The Bear probably could’ve run the score into the 60’s that day but didn’t want to embarrass Pell.
We probably shared a flask that day. Good times.
We probably shared a flask that day. Good times.
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:53 pm to TigerNlc
quote:
Saban could probably drop his pants and take a shite on the field mid game and not get fired.
That's only because 100,000 people would rush the field armed with these to clean it up before the commercial break was over:
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:56 pm to TeddyWestside
I think Saban could survive two down years like that. He’d obviously have to have a “1971” like Bryant, but he has plenty of capital built up to do so.
That’s the only way anyone could survive it. Because Bryant didn’t have Saban’s success by 1969. His best run was 1971-1980.
That’s the only way anyone could survive it. Because Bryant didn’t have Saban’s success by 1969. His best run was 1971-1980.
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:57 pm to WildTchoupitoulas
quote:
That's only because 100,000 people would rush the field armed with these to clean it up before the commercial break was over:
I know I would. Those two guys are the bee's knees.
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:58 pm to JustGetItRight
quote:
What you are asking is if a coach with 3 national titles, 4 conference titles, and 9 top-10 finishes in the last 10 years would survive 2 seasons with merely winning records.
You are living in a fantasy world if you think they wouldn’t.
It's not a fantasy world.... its the world we live in now. And its more than just '69 and '70. There were several disappointments in '67 and '68
Yes, Bryant crushed it up through 1966... but then he hit a bump in the road:
1967: Tied Florida State (before FSU was anything). Lost to rival Tennessee. And then closed the season with a Cotton Bowl loss to mediocre Texas A&M (7-4).
1968: Lost to Ole Miss. Lost to Tennessee. Destroyed in the Gator Bowl by Missouri by 25 points.
1969: Finished 6-5 including an embarrassing loss to Vanderbilt. Lost to LSU and also to main rivals Tennessee and Auburn. Finished the year with a 14-point loss in the Liberty Bowl to Colorado.
1970: Finished 6-5-1. Was destroyed in Week 1 by USC at Legion Field. Lost to Ole Miss, LSU, and again to rivals Auburn and Tennessee. Tied Oklahoma in the Bluebonnet Bowl.
----
By the end of 1970...
*Bama had compiled a 12-11-1 record during its previous 24 games.
*Bama had lost two straight to rival Auburn
*Bama had lost four straight to rival Tennessee
*Bama had lost two straight to Ole Miss
*Bama had lost two straight to LSU
*Bama had gone 0-3-1 in its most recent four bowl games
Yes, I think even someone with Bear Bryant's pedigree would be politely asked to step down if this were to occur in this day and age.
Heck, look at Les Miles.
This post was edited on 7/20/18 at 4:59 pm
Posted on 7/20/18 at 4:59 pm to BHMKyle
quote:
Heck, look at Les Miles.
It’s about capital. Saban has it for days. Miles never did. He was chasing someone else the day Saban got on a plane to Tuscaloosa.
Posted on 7/20/18 at 5:19 pm to TeddyWestside
quote:
My question is, would a similarly successful coach toady survive back-to-back bad seasons in today's what have done for me lately world?
I think Saban would be allowed a mediocre season or two. He's earned the benefit of the doubt as Bear had.
Here's a fun SI article from October 1969:
LINK
quote:
LIKE THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE HAS LEARNED THAT DEFENSE IS GONE WITH THE WIND AND THAT IF YOU WANT TO WIN YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A PASSER AND SOME BOYS WHO CAN CATCH AND RUN
quote:
Yes, indeed, there's a wild new game in town, something called pitch and catch, and they are piling up the points so quickly it hardly pays to wave a Confederate flag at the enemy anymore. Just when you get your arm moving real good, the other guys have scored and are waving their flags right back. Last week, for instance, in eight games involving SEC teams, 472 points were scored. There hasn't been that much offense generated in the South since Sherman. When the late General R. R. Neyland was coaching, for example, Tennessee only gave up 485 points—in 14 years. "Football is nothing more than a series of actions, mistakes and miscalculations," Neyland preached. "Punt and let your opposition make the mistakes. Most of them will feel that possession of the ball is to be desired above everything else. I disagree."
It was the era of Archie Who.
The article linked above was published shortly after Archie took Bama to the wire but fell just a little short. Saturday night in prime time on national TV (ABC) at Legion Field. The very first time a SEC game was broadcast in prime time to the nation.
LINK
Bama lost to Vandy the very next week. Ole Miss lost one more game that season... to the Houston Cougars.
Posted on 7/20/18 at 5:20 pm to BHMKyle
quote:You're referring to the Scott Hunter years when, for no known reason, Coach Bryant jumped the reservation and went "offense first" crazy with a wide open passing attack....probably in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest brain cramp in history (4 years!).
It's not a fantasy world.... its the world we live in now. And its more than just '69 and '70. There were several disappointments in '67 and '68
Yes, Bryant crushed it up through 1966... but then he hit a bump in the road:
1967: Tied Florida State (before FSU was anything). Lost to rival Tennessee. And then closed the season with a Cotton Bowl loss to mediocre Texas A&M (7-4).
1968: Lost to Ole Miss. Lost to Tennessee. Destroyed in the Gator Bowl by Missouri by 25 points.
1969: Finished 6-5 including an embarrassing loss to Vanderbilt. Lost to LSU and also to main rivals Tennessee and Auburn. Finished the year with a 14-point loss in the Liberty Bowl to Colorado.
1970: Finished 6-5-1. Was destroyed in Week 1 by USC at Legion Field. Lost to Ole Miss, LSU, and again to rivals Auburn and Tennessee. Tied Oklahoma in the Bluebonnet Bowl.
[
Posted on 7/20/18 at 6:04 pm to WildTchoupitoulas
quote:
That's only because 100,000 people would rush the field armed with these to eat it up before the commercial break was over:
Posted on 7/20/18 at 7:57 pm to BHMKyle
For fun let’s look at Les.
After winning his ONLY title in 2007,he won the SEC just once more and lost 3 or more games in 7 of his last 9 full seasons.
In the 9 seasons prior to the end of 1970 - when you think he would be fired today - Bryant had 3 SEC titles, 2 national titles, and an undefeated season.
If Les had those numbers leading up to 2015 he would 100% still be the coach at LSU.
After winning his ONLY title in 2007,he won the SEC just once more and lost 3 or more games in 7 of his last 9 full seasons.
In the 9 seasons prior to the end of 1970 - when you think he would be fired today - Bryant had 3 SEC titles, 2 national titles, and an undefeated season.
If Les had those numbers leading up to 2015 he would 100% still be the coach at LSU.
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