All I'm saying is that places like OU, Texas, Alabama, etc have built-in advantages. How do you equalize that across college football? I don't have a clue. I was just stating the obvious. Good recruiting comes to those places regardless of Stoops, Brown or Saban coaching there. Taking average talent to unattained levels is what coach of the year ought to be about, not being awarded for taking above average talent where it is expected to be.

Leach at Texas Tech did an extraordinary job, though he is kind of a counter culture figure. I don't like him as a human being. His predecessor, Spike Dykes was an outstanding human being but just a little better than average coach. Leach never has gotten any better talent than Dykes, but he has taken them further against far superior league competitors, recruiting wise that is.

I'm sure Saban did a fine job at Alabama. If he did much less of a job than he did, he would probably be looking for a job.

Amen on Whittingham!

Yes, good coaching is evidenced by taking mediocre talent to extraordinary levels. Extraordinary talent coached to extraordinary levels is evidence of ordinary coaching.

Not if Tebow returns! Hehehe ...

IB4,
   
      Your devotion to Alabama is sweet and a bit nauseating. The fact of the matter is that your coach (Mr. Forbes, Mr. Coach of the Year) got outcoached by a guy that makes 1/4th of the money he does. The team didn't get out played, Utah is not a better football team or a better school in a better conference. Nick Saban got his rear end handed to him by a younger, smarter, and better coach. I was a little worried when Miss State, Tennessee, and Auburn had coaching vacancies. Afraid that one of those schools would go after Kyle Whittenham or Chris Peterson out of Boise State.

     The Saban hire didn't scare me, or upset me. Now him using a racial slur to describe LSU fans was uncalled for, but I am not scared of what he will put on the field year in and year out.

    I am glad that Alabama had a good year, but let's not get so excited and start claiming that Saban is the next Bear or that you will win another 12 Mythical National Championships.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Settle down there. Let's look at the Alabama/Utah game. Alabama lost two starters on the line. TWO. That may not seem like a big deal, unless of course, you know a lot about football.

The offensive line is easily the most difficult and physically demanding position on the field. And for Alabama to be playing with 2 back ups starting the whole game, that's a huge disadvantage. The back ups were not anywhere near as developed as the guys they replaced. The people who replaced them were true sophmores and had very, very little game time experience. Even for a good team, it takes a LOT to adjust to that because with those other guys the Alabama offensive coordinator knew what running and passing formations were best suited to the strengths of the players. But with inexperienced, young guys in, it's a complete guess. It complete through Alabama off it's game and gave Utah very good field position early on.

Utah had all it's players in. I don't think they lost a single player to injury during the year that wasn't back for that game. They had incredible advantage in simply knowing which plays worked best for their offensive line. If you know football, you'll see that this was a massive advantage. Alabama would have scored at least two more touch downs with their normal offensive line. Bama's star running back, Glenn Coffee, who's going to the NFL as a pretty early pick was held to 36 yards. Was Utah's defense that good? No. As anyone who knows football will tell you, an inexperienced offensive line couldn't make any holes for Coffee to run through.

And just one thing on the comment that Bama wouldn't win the SEC next year with Tebo back at Florida...consider our new quarterback broke most of Major Applewhite's single season records in Texas. Leech at Texas wanted him like MAD. But he went to Alabama. His name is Greg McElroy. You'll know his name next year.

Lovely.  Making excuses.  Utah out coached and out played Alabama.  Utah was a better team.  The true National Champions, and if you disagree with me, than you sir, are an Obama supporter.