Tuscaloosa, AL- Following the end of the 2012 season the Crimson Tide program seemed to be in complete disarray. Head Coach Nick Saban bolted for another shot at the NFL, the recruiting class was in complete limbo following his departure and a disappointing loss to Kentucky in the SEC Title Game and a rash of their top juniors had strongly hinted at leaving to play on Sundays. Flash forward a year and the future of Alabama looks as bright as ever thanks to some chips falling in the right places at the right times. First, Aaron Jones bolted from Minnesota to Tuscaloosa following back-to-back national titles, bringing his unique talents as an offensive mastermind and a recruiting genius. Jones made an immediate impact as he convinced top Bama players to return to make a run for the title. He also secured one of the best recruiting classes in recent history, ensuring that Alabama's future looks quite bright.
With the hiring, players staying and the top notch recruiting class, Alabama entered the 2013 season ranked #1 and the clear cut favorites to take home the BCS title. They did not disappoint all season, laying waste to the SEC by an average victory margin of over 28 points. Only Tennessee stayed within 2 touchdowns against the Tide all season, losing 28-14 in Knoxville. Alabama rolled to a 56-10 victory in the SEC Title game and secured a spot in the BCS Title Game against Michigan. It was clear minutes into the game that Bama was just too strong for the Wolverines as they cruised to a 28-14 victory, capping off a 14-0 season. 'It was a great performance by these young men all season.' said Jones. 'They had a bullseye on their back from spring practice through the BCS Title Game. This is my third national title and I can definitively say that this was the most talented team I have ever been around. We had 9 All-Americans and 20 All-SEC performers...I don't think you will ever see such a dominant team, especially in the highly competitive SEC. We just happened to have talent dripping at all positions and caught the rest of the conference in a down year. They'll all be back soon enough, we have to start getting ready for next season on the flight home if we want to stay on top. We've had a great class so far with 7 five star prospects already committing, but we need to do more. Auburn and LSU are on our heels for some prospects.'
Can Bama keep the magic in Tuscaloosa? Looking forward to 2014, even with a powerhouse recruiting class, they appear to be a touch weaker than this season, although as Jones said, the 2013 version may go down as an all time great team. There appear to be at least 10 first round picks from that roster and a host of underclassmen that may easily double that number in the coming years.
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