3 questions for Alabama football in 2021
2. Will the coaching staff have what it takes?
Nick Saban deserves credit for Alabama football’s success, but a lot of the development of players falls on the coaching staff. They work with the athletes on the fundamentals and help develop schemes while Nick Saban puts it all together. He relies heavily on his staff, and that is why he is so successful.
Fans are used to watching other schools poach Saban assistants, but it happened at a massive clip this season. Practically every offensive assistant is gone, and many defensive position coaches found new jobs. The biggest name to leave was Steve Sarkisian, but schools continued to poach all summer.
Saban can’t stop this. He can only replace these coaches. With so many new faces, one key question is whether or not the staff is ready to compete for titles. Saban trusts his hires, but it can sometimes take a few years to get comfortable in Tuscaloosa. While Alabama has had success with turning over talent on the field, it is harder to replace this many assistants.
While every new hire matters, the biggest concern is Bill O’Brien. Is he ready to be the offensive coordinator and develop his own game plan with a new quarterback?
Speaking of a new quarterback, the one question that must be answered regards Alabama football‘s Bryce Young.