1. Dabo Swinney
It may not be the biggest mistake that Alabama could make, but it is the most realistic mistake. Dabo Swinney was once Saban’s biggest competition, but as the college football world changed, Saban and Alabama adapted to stay on top while Swinney was too stubborn to embrace the transfer portal and was left behind.
Swinney last made the playoff in 2020, Trevor Lawrence’s last collegiate year. Since then, The Tigers have gone 10-3, 11-3, and 9-4 and have lost two of three ACC titles. Over that stretch, Clemson has added exactly two players from the transfer portal, and it is tough to make a compelling case that the two aren’t connected.
Meanwhile, Mike Norvell has pillaged the portal players like Jordan Travis and Keon Coleman to turn FSU into the prevailing ACC powerhouse. Swinney is stuck in the past and it would be a huge mistake for Alabama to allow him to drag its football program down.