Since playing their first college football game in 1892, the Alabama Crimson Tide football program has become one of college football’s most accomplished. With thirteen national titles and eight AP or Coaches consensus championships to its credit, the Alabama program has consistently remained among the elite of NCAA football powers. Nearly half of the program’s national championships were earned during the tenure of one Alabama coach – the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant, who coached Alabama teams from 1957 until his retirement after the 1982 season.

Almost immediate success

When Bryant arrived in Alabama from Texas A&M, the program had been suffering through a period of four straight losing seasons. The Bear’s arrival seemed the spark that the Tide needed to turn the program around, and that year’s team posted a record of five wins, four losses, and one tie. Bryant’s unique style of coaching and masterful discipline of the sport provided the foundation that the program needed to enable the players to begin to function as a team and ascend toward their potential. In just his fourth campaign with the program, Bryant had the Crimson Tide back into national championship contention. In fact, they went on to win the national title that year, in Bryant’s first trip to a bowl game with his new team. It was a feat that the team would repeat often during his tenure as coach, as the program became one of the most dominant in the NCAAs. Beginning in 1961, and ending with the 1966 season, the Crimson Tide managed to accumulate 60 total wins, with only 5 losses. Over that same period, they won three national championships, four SEC titles, and were invited to six bowl games. In two of those seasons, the team went undefeated. Alabama football was back!

The Crimson Tide Seventies

Every year in the 1970s but two belonged to the Crimson Tide. The SEC was, without a doubt, theirs to do with as they will, and they dominated it in style. That dominance resulted in yet another three national titles, completing Bryant’s six-pack of crowns. For students of ‘Bama history, however, the 1970s are also known for one of Bryant’s bravest decisions. Before a game between Alabama and USC in 1971, the Coach decided to permit John Mitchell to start the game for the Crimson Tide. This was the first instance of any black football player starting in an Alabama Crimson Tide uniform – and it was the event that effectively broke Alabama’s color barrier.

The end of Bryant’s coaching career personified his team’s success as he left with a victory in the 1982 Liberty Bowl. At the time of his departure, the Bear had the most victories of any coach in history, at 323. Sadly, his retirement from coaching preceded his death by mere weeks. To this day, his quarter of a century with the Crimson Tide program is still viewed by most coaches at all levels as one of the most inspiring periods of football success in history.

Freddie Brister is a big fan of Football check out his: UConn Watch

Related posts:

1. Show Your Crimson Tide Pride with Your Bank Checks Roll tide, roll! If you are a fan of the...
2. The Alabama Crimson Tide – Insight On The Athlete’s Linebacker Dont'a Hightower...
3. Alabama – Crimson Pride In Baseball The baseball team that represents the University of Alabama which...
4. Bits Of Advice About Living In Alabama In your lifetime, you come across some principles that are...
5. Utah Utes – Urban Meyer Breaks The BCS The one thing that is for certain about college sports...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.