Alabama Football hits the books like they hit their enemies

Hard. Really hard. That’s how Alabama football players hit the books in the classroom. They received the 2017 AFCA Academic Achievement Award for it.

Did anyone expect otherwise from a team coached by Nick Saban? Alabama football players need to be smart; however, yesterday’s announcement of the award was the first in the school’s history.

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According to RollTide.com, “Alabama is one of seven programs that recorded a 100-percent graduation rate for members of its 2010 freshman football class. Joining the Tide this year are Cincinnati, Middle Tennessee, Northwestern, Utah, Utah State and Virginia.” The American Football Coaches Association presents the award every year to schools “with the highest score in the NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and a federal graduation rate of 75 percent or higher.”

Football teaches young men about life, but it isn’t all that there is to life.

The University of Alabama released the following tweet to show support and pride to their student-athletes:

Propaganda is only bad if it isn’t genuine. Coach Saban has been preaching the importance of an education as soon as he arrived in Alabama. His ‘Process’ has always been about making the students who come to play football into better men, whether on the field or in any other part of society.

If one examines the coach and his philosophy, the qualities that he expects from himself and his players transfers over to any field. A student can use Saban’s methods as easily as a corporate executive.

Saban wrote the book on how to succeed, literally. Saban, along with author Brian Curtis, even a book about it, called How Good Do You Want To Be? A Champion’s Tips on How to Lead and Succeed. It goes into much greater detail about ‘The Process’ and how it directly and indirectly affects not just the person but also everyone on that person’s team or even family.

Everything starts with the leader, Saban, who is disciplined and committed to a routine of excellence, provides effort and toughness when things in his job or regular life become complicated or difficult, and is proud enough to never let himself quit on himself or his team.

Every day, the standard is set and stands as a reminder for the future. Mark Ingram, Alabama football alumni and veteran running back for the New Orleans Saints, recently marked that standard as the reason why he brought the first Heisman Trophy to the program and for his success in the NFL for so many years.

Being an Alabama football player forges one to become a man. Every player excels at what they do, making the depth chart a virtual shark tank. One must overcome the depth by becoming better each day, if one wants to surface as a starter.

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Just like the coach, the player has to adopt that mentality and practice it with everything that he does. The classroom is a prime example. The four walls of an English or math class is treated like the football video room: serious studying needs to be done.

Does that mean all Alabama football players are splitting the atom? It would be nice, but highly unlikely. Yet, it would be unfair to dismiss this latest accomplishment. Not many schools can say that they had a perfect graduation rate, regardless of football players or otherwise. For a group of young men to overcome an unfortunate stereotype of student-athletes and each earn that diploma, the award means a great deal.

Anyone remember Jonathan Allen? Amazing defensive end under Saban? Went in the first round of the NFL Draft? College Football Playoff champion? Three-time SEC champion? SEC defensive player of the year in 2016? He earned his degree in financial planning. Anyone want to tell him that his degree was a joke? Even if he wasn’t big enough to eat you alive, would anyone tell a financial planner that his or her degree was easy to get?

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Alabama’s standard of excellence starts with good leadership from their head coach, but it is their students who have to take the ball and run with it (excuse the pun). Apparently, Alabama football players have no problem doing that. Congratulations, gentlemen!