Saban is the first great head coach since Bryant, though. Ray Perkins was mediocre and Bill Curry didn’t fit the culture. Gene Stallings was quite good and won a national title, although infractions toward the end of his tenure put the school in a bind for years. Mike DuBose was lousy, Dennis Franchione left for Texas A&M (how’s that workin’ out for ya, Fran?), Mike Price never coached a game, and Mike Shula was too green.

It’s remarkable, really, how many nobodies were hired to coach in the post-Bryant era.