Alabama Football: Don’t bet against Nick Saban rebuilding the Tide quickly

Losing one game, even a national championship game does not change the direction of Alabama football. Nick Saban will rebuild the Crimson Tide quickly.

It has been a rocky couple of weeks for Nick Saban and Alabama football. No college football coach is better prepared to handle such misfortune. And more importantly, no coach is better prepared to take corrective action so quickly and so deeply.

Which is not to say, all since the early morning of Jan. 8 has gone according to Nick Saban’s plan. Far from it. Saban was quickly ready to make coaching changes. Some of those changes were firm in his mind even before the loss to Clemson. But there have been surprises.

The national championship game has been rehashed enough. It was a bitter disappointment. One that appeared to not surprise, but more confirm Saban’s understandings about the weaknesses on his team and particularly on his staff.

As much as Nick Saban tries, he cannot control everything. Replacing eight starters on defense did not allow for a loss of more key defensive players to injury. Somewhat unproven younger coaches could not match Nick’s unwavering standards of excellence.

What did surprise Saban was the almost no-notice departures of Dan Enos and Josh Gattis. Both men were part of Saban’s rebuild plans. Neither embraced that opportunity. The after-hours clearing out of his office by Dan Enos apparently stunned the remaining Alabama football staff, including Saban.

When news leaked Tosh Lupoi was leaving for the NFL, it made Saban doubters of some Alabama football fans. Saban knew a change was needed at defensive coordinator. He did not want any change to occur until after the end of 2019 recruiting. In the minds of doubting fans, events were controlling Nick Saban rather than the other way around.

So, all of us, doubters and non-doubters alike would do well to relax. Alabama football is led by the greatest college football coach in the history of the game. He has plenty of strength and resolve to take a few hits and bounce back. The Nick Saban, Alabama Football Dynasty is not over. Not now, and perhaps not for a long time.

Will the current turmoil hamper filling the last 2019 recruiting class slots? It may, but the slots will be filled with more top players. The 2019 class is already tremendous. Alabama football will open next season at No. 2 or No.3 in the nation. It will be in position to make another national championship run.

Nick Saban will build a coaching staff that will outperform the 2018 staff. Alabama football will continue to be the best path to the NFL and also to college football head coaching opportunities. It those head coach opportunities more than anything that have caused Saban the most problems. He keeps building head coaches and they pack up his knowledge and move it to a school to recruit against him.

It is almost unfair. But you never hear Nick Saban complain about the success of any of his former assistants. In fact, Saban does not waste much time complaining. He demands instead, and he demands a lot – including of himself.

And that is why, Nick Saban will assess, adjust, and achieve a continual pursuit of excellence. He is not built to do it any other way.