Alabama is one of the most storied programs in college football history, but nothing the team has done can quite compare to what is happening right now in Tuscaloosa.
In an age with social media, the internet, more television exposure and advanced scouting, college coaches are constantly battling with each other for the best recruits from all around the country. In the past the high-profile recruits went only to the "big" schools like Notre Dame, USC or Penn State, but now have numerous options regionally and nationally as other programs start to gain notoriety and name recognition.
Despite all this, Nick Saban has been able to create a dynasty in Alabama. The team is coming off its second straight BCS national championship after defeating Notre Dame 42-14 on Monday night and has now won three titles in four years. The win also gives the SEC seven straight championships, proving its dominance as the best conference in the country.
"We've had a lot of really great football players who've worked really hard," Saban said after the game to the Associated Press. "Because we've had a great team, we've been able to have a significant amount of success."
Alabama completely dominated Notre Dame, scoring on the first drive of the game after heading 82 yards down the field. During the season Notre Dame hadn't allowed a scoring drive of over 75 yards and eventually gave up four to Alabama, including a 14-play drive that lasted nearly eight minutes.
The Crimson tide never allowed Notre Dame to feel comfortable and ended up looking like boys playing with men. Eddie Lacy even ran over Heisman runner-up Manti Te'o on the first scoring drive, setting the tone that would last throughout the entire game.
Coming into the game some people felt that Notre Dame had a weaker schedule and that Alabama would dominate. Those people were proven right. The Crimson Tide got out to a 35-0 lead before the Irish could get on the board and Alabama showed its superiority at the quarterback position as junior A.J. McCarron outplayed redshirt freshman Everett Golson.
McCarron became the first quarterback to win back-to-back BCS titles and is one reason why Alabama has the chance to further its dominance over college football. No one will be bringing back a more decorated quarterback than McCarron next season and he has been spectacularly efficient during his time at Alabama. This season he threw for 2,669 and 26 touchdowns with just three interceptions while completing over 66 percent of his passes.
The junior quarterback set a new school record with 49 touchdown passes and led the nation this season in with a 173.08 passer rating. McCarron threw for at least one touchdown in every game except one this season and didn't have his first interception until he threw two in Alabama's loss against Texas A&M in November. Over his career he has gone 24-2 as a starter for the Crimson Tide and will likely add to that total in 2013.
The team will also return talented starters like freshman wideout Amari Cooper and All-American linebacker C.J. Mosley. The biggest hole for the Crimson Tide will be on the offensive line, where Alabama will lose up to four starters, including center Barrett Jones. Alabama consistently brings in top recruiting classes and has done a fantastic job of replacing players as they graduate or move on to the NFL, including quarterback Greg McElroy as well as running backs like Trent Richardson and Heisman winner Mark Ingraham.
The Crimson Tide finished the season 13-1 and will likely be the No. 1 team in the Associated Press poll that ends the season. No college football team in the BCS era has been able to do what Alabama has done.
LSU has been a consistent force in the SEC, but have not been able to bring home another championship since winning a few years ago. Auburn won it in 2010, but greatly regressed over the next two years, resulting in the firing of Gene Chizik, who led the team to an undefeated season. The changeover of coaches in the SEC is a testament to the success of Saban and Alabama. Tennessee has been through multiple coaches since firing Philip Fulmer, while Arkansas, Auburn, Florida and other have gone through coaching changes in recent years.
There have been rumors for years that Saban will leave Alabama for the NFL, but he has played down that idea as much as possible. Reporters still hound him with those questions due to the fact that Saban can be less than truthful with the media. While coach of the Miami Dolphins he emphatically said that he would not be taking the Alabama coaching job. Everyone knows how that one turned out.
"How many times do you think I've been asked to put it to rest?" Saban said on Monday to ESPN.com. "And I've put it to rest, and you continue to ask it. So I'm going to say it today, that -- you know, I think somewhere along the line you've got to choose. You learn a lot from the experiences of what you've done in the past.
But honestly, why would he leave? Sure, Alabama likely won't win a national title every single year, teams do have to rebuild, but Saban likely won't be brining home Super Bowls every single season either if he was in the NFL.
"I came to the Miami Dolphins, what, eight years ago for the best owner, the best person that I've ever had the opportunity to work for?" Saban said on Monday to ESPN.com. "And in the two years that I was here, had a very, very difficult time thinking that I could impact the organization in the way that I wanted to or the way that I was able to in college, and it was very difficult for me."
Saban has now won four BCS championships, including one with LSU, something no other coach in football can say.
