I know it may sound crazy, but maybe Patrick Murphy has done everything he can in Tuscaloosa. Yes, he's a great coach and has an amazing record, which of course includes 15 College World Series appearances and one national championship.
Last year's magical run to Oklahoma City seemed to take a lot of heat off of Murphy, but the struggles during the start of the SEC season in 2025 has many asking this same question, at least in comments and message boards. The same issues seem to take the Tide out every year, and that is not being able to score with runners in scoring position.
We saw this in Game 1 of the Super Regional last Friday in Norman, where Alabama left seven runners on base who were in scoring position. It seemed that if there had been a few more timely hits on Friday, last weekend's series would have at least gone three games against the Sooners. This seems to be a common theme when Alabama loses, and I get that it comes down to the players being able to come through when the game is on the line.
Maybe I'm a spoiled fan and should be happy with an appearance in Oklahoma City most years, but I do wonder why we haven't won a title since 2012?
Now I am always one who says don't replace a coach unless you know for a fact the replacement is going to be better. With how successful Coach Murphy has been in Tuscaloosa, that is going to be tough, and maybe there isn't a better fit.
But, there is a feeling that maybe things have gotten stale and there is a need to change things up a little. It has become trickier to win with NIL and the transfer portal in softball, just like any other team sport, and maybe a lack of financial support for the program is a bigger factor why Alabama isn't closer to the Oklahomas of the world, more so than the coaching.
As a fan, I realize how special our softball program is, and I'm more worried about a drop-off as the SEC has become even more competitive with the additions of Texas and OU. Seeing both the Longhorns and Sooners get to the World Series in year one in the SEC adds a little to the angst of the fans.
It seems like there isn't much separation between the four SEC teams who made it to OKC this year and the Tide, but maybe now is the time to figure out how to keep that gap from widening or how to close the gap. Whether it be an NIL issue or a coaching issue, there is a sense that a little shaking up needs to happen so the program stays atop the tough SEC.
Maybe some tough questions need to be asked when it comes to keeping the Tide amongst the elite of the college softball world from if a coaching change is a realistic option, or how can Tuscaloosa be a more enticing place for transfers to consider as well as how to keep the stars of the team like Audrey Vandergraff on the team. I get that softball will never get the NIL backing like football or even Men's basketball, but the success rate of the last couple of decades should garner as much financial support as possible. It will be interesting to see what this off-season brings and how this team responds in 2026.