Alabama Football: The benefits of tempered expectations

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 05: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide takes the field before a game against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium on November 05, 2022 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 05: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide takes the field before a game against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium on November 05, 2022 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Year in and year out, the expectations of the Alabama Football program are as high as those of any other school in the country.

This is just one aspect of the cost of winning. Historically, Alabama is arguably the greatest college program of all time. Under Coach Nick Saban, it is indisputable that Bama has been the standard. As a result, winning at the highest level has become a presumption rather than something to be celebrated. I’d guess that Coach Saban would have it no other way.

While expectations and standards within the program should remain as high as ever, there is a level of doubt surrounding Alabama Football at a national level.

After two consecutive seasons that ended in relative disappointment, college football fans and media are speculating that the dynasty has finally fallen. This wouldn’t be the first time.

Does Alabama Football benefit from tempered expectations?

Fans don’t have the luxury of being in the locker room, standing on the sideline, or walking the halls of the Alabama Football facilities.

As a result, we can only make guesses as to the true culture and mindset of the team in any given year. The 2022 team did not appear to respond well to expectations of greatness. Prior to the season, Alabama had even higher projections than usual. It was supposed to be one of Coach Saban’s best teams ever, and was a heavy favorite to bring home the national championship.

Instead, the team missed the College Football Playoff for just the second time ever, and its emotional leader spoke of the players experiencing pregame anxiety. It can be assumed that this team was not equipped to carry the heavy burden of these massive expectations.

The 2023 team will not have to deal with pressure to the same degree. ESPN’s spring rankings have the Crimson Tide coming in at no. 4 in the country. While being considered a preseason top-5 team is lofty expectations at most places, this is essentially flying under the radar in Tuscaloosa.

The 2023 Alabama Football team should be able to put its head down and work on doing things the right way without the pressure to be perfect.

Contrarily, it seems like doubt has always fueled Nick Saban and the teams he has coached. Saban is the wrong man to overlook, and he certainly doesn’t take disrespect lightly.

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Will the public’s apparent overlooking of Alabama Football motivate this year’s squad to surpass expectations?