During his time as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Nick Saban built a dynasty, a football team feared by millions of fans. Every season, fans, coaches and players would look to Tuscaloosa to see what Saban and the Crimson Tide were doing, then try to emulate it as best they could and bring a fraction of the success that Saban's teams had to their own teams.
Alabama has been the pinnacle of college football for the past nearly two decades, and now fans are wondering if Alabama can still set that standard.
The transfer portal remains wide open, athletic departments around the country are unsure how to safely utilize and manage name, image and likeness transactions, major conference realignment is underway and the College Football Playoff is expanding to a 12-team format.
Nearly every program in college football has to deal with all of this, but Alabama also has to get used to having a new head coach roaming the sidelines after Nick Saban announced his retirement from coaching.
There are many worst-case scenarios that could play out, but it's important to remember that while Saban is no longer in charge, he left behind an incredibly strong foundation: incredibly talented players, first-class facilities and a brand that exudes an aura of success.
ESPN's Mark Schlabach recently penned his thoughts on the Crimson Tide heading into the 2024 season, stating that while the pressure and spotlight may seem intimidating, he believes this year's team has all the makings to win an SEC championship, make the College Football Playoff and maybe even be a championship contender.
“Is there any rookie coach feeling more pressure this season than Alabama's Karen DeBoer? She has the unenviable job of replacing arguably the greatest coach of all time, Nick Saban. Alabama (ranked No. 5) isn't going to suddenly fall into disarray just because Saban is gone. DeBoer has won every game he's played in, going 104-12, and led Washington to the CFP National Championship Game last season. The offensive line should be fine, led by quarterback Jalen Milroe, receiver Jermy Bernard and tailbacks Jamarion Miller and Justise Haynes. The Tide face tough tests at home against Georgia on Sept. 28 and on the road against Tennessee, Louisiana State and Oklahoma. But there's enough talent left in Tuscaloosa for DeBoer to lead the Tide back to the CFP.”
Alabama opens the 2024 regular season with a home game against Western Kentucky on Aug. 31. Until then, we can only speculate on how the Crimson Tide will fare under head coach Cullen DeBoer.
The answer to the question many fans have is “Will Alabama football be good in 2024?” is that there's no guarantee it will be good, but it would be a big surprise if it wasn't.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football news as the 2024 offseason progresses.
Contact/Follow Roll Tied Wire X and like our page! Facebook Follow us for the latest coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinions. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X. translation:.
This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire
