You usually have to take what is said by anonymous sources with a grain of salt. But in the world of coaching, the only way you are going to get any semblance of honesty is by allowing coaches to speak with anonymity.
Coach speak is boring. We want to know what these guys really think.
If you're a college football fan, chances are you've bought Athlon's season preview magazine a time or two. I know I always do. They always feature what an anonymous coach says about each team. Instead of having to wait for the magazine to hit shelves now, however, Athlon has posted a conference-by-conference look at what anonymous coaches think of each team.
Of course, these are just the opinions of a few coaches here and there, but it gives you a solid indication of what the rest of the league thinks of your team.
What did the anonymous coaches have to say about Alabama?
Anonymous coaches mostly complimentary of Alabama, though the fear is gone
Nick Saban ain't walking through that door again in Tuscaloosa. It's Kalen DeBoer's team now. It's clear that while Alabama is still viewed as a top contender in the league, the fear of the Crimson Tide is no more.
One coach stated that while Alabama will still compete for a spot in Atlanta, they're not a surefire lock anymore. It's a new era at the Capstone.
One coach commented on how Alabama was able to maintain its roster through the spring portal window and avoided any of its heavy hitters testing the portal to find their market value. They believe that's an indication of the Tide's athletic department getting "serious" about NIL.
I say it's more of an indication of the buy-in this roster has with this staff. DeBoer has built the roster in his image, and it's clear there's a belief in the locker room that this is a championship-caliber team.
One anonymous coach said the obvious: that Ryan Grubb joining the staff as the offensive coordinator will be a big addition. It also gives Nick Sheridan the ability to focus on the development of the three quarterbacks on the roster. The same anonymous coach credited Sheridan with the development of Michael Penix Jr. at both Indiana and Washington.
Another coach spoke of Alabama having no obvious weaknesses on the roster. If the QB position comes together, the Tide could win it all.
That seems like the general consensus of this Alabama team. If Ty Simpson - or Keelon Russell or Austin Mack - can play above-average football, then this team will be one of the two or three best teams in the country.
If one of them can play at an elite level, that'll go a long way into the Crimson Tide striking that fear into the rest of the league again.