Is Coach Shula's Plan working?

Was asked by LuckyBilly Recently on BAMAmag. Here is one of the responses.

Is CMS' Plan Working?
Note: Not in any concrete order)

1. Win the state of Alabama first.
2. Pluck good kids from surrounding states.
3. Recruit good student-althletes in the classrom and on the field.
4. Bring tradition back to UA.
5. Win a SEC title and NC.
6. Win with class.
7. Build it right from the ground up.
8. Play in a bowl game every year.
9. Hire top-flight assistant coaches.
10. Return respect and admiration to UA.

You be the judge ...I'd say we've still got a ways to go but progress is being made in some areas.

BIGfan71 answered with this.

1. Win the state of Alabama first.
Recruiting quality is subjective until the recruits actually produce. I would say that based on his first two classes, he is doing a much better job than Dubose or Fran, and a world better than the disaster that was Prices recruiting.To be entirely accurate, ask this question in 2 more years.

2. Pluck good kids from surrounding states.
It would appear so. According to some objective opinions we have gotten the best RB's from Florida, and some top players from GA. We got the top QB (Mr. MS Football) out of MS last season and some select players from other states further away (California).

3. Recruit good student-althletes in the classrom and on the field.
There is no comparison between what Shula has done and the previous few coaches. Our players that he has recruited are eligible after the school year. That makes a huge difference in rebuilding our depth and is a large part of why we were competitive last season. If our students would have been Dubosesque we would have had 40 players on scholarship instead of 59.

4. Bring tradition back to UA.It never left, it just got tarnished.
Shula has applied everbrite but it will take time to work.

5. Win a SEC title and NC.
See #4. We are not there yet, but all indications say we are pointed in that direct. This is a relevent question going into Shula's 5th season, not his 2.5th.

6. Win with class.
Class is taking a knee at Ole Miss' 5 yard line in the final minute, not throwing a 25 yard TD strike off a turnover against an injury depleted team in the final minute. You know which classless coach I am talking about.

7. Build it right from the ground up.
I don't see an overabundance of Juco players on roster, nor do I see any quick fix offensive schemes that prove debtrimental over time (ala Mumme). I don't see having a plan and abandoning it ala Dubose. I see a system in place and a plan being stuck to (ala Butch Davis without the 50 point blowouts he suffered).

8. Play in a bowl game every year.
One year eligible post NCAA probation, one bowl.

9. Hire top-flight assistant coaches.
Believe it or not, most college assistant coaches are good. Some are better. The first season a lot of folks rode Kines hard (myself included and I still have not forgotten 4th and 19). Now they are riding his band wagon. Now people are on Rader's case. Rader is widely respected as a top offensive mind. We will see what happens with more depth and experience...if the injury bug will stay away.The holdovers from Price appear to be solid for the most part. At the very least the stability has helped. Ungerer and Kent Johnston are the best in the business at what they do.

10. Return respect and admiration to UA.
Respect has to be earned, but if you ask any coach in the SEC they will tell you that Shula deserves it for his integrity, levelheadedness, and steadfastness, if not for wins and losses to date. Coach Bryant would tell you that if you do things the right way the W's and L's will take care of themselves.

You be the judge ...I am not qualified to really judge Shula, but based on what I have observed in his 1.5 seasons, he is (1) doing things the right way and (2) making solid progress.

I think we win at least 8 games this year even if injuries do strike (though there is no way they could be as bad as last year). If we do as some are suggesting and win 10, CMS should be SEC Coach of the year and a finalist for the Bryant Award. If we can get a QB developed for 2006 we should be better next season. By 2007 or 8 we will be looking at being top 10 consistently.

I'd say we've still got a ways to go but progress is being made in some areas.


Posted by Crimson Legend on August 11, 2005

Ten things I love about coach Shula.

10. Never lets his emotion get the best of him. (See Houston Nutt)

9. Recognizes his own limitations, and surrounds himself with experience.

8. Strikes a perfect balance between being accessible to the players yet not "friendly" to them.

7. Has never, not one time, responded negatively to people like Paul Finebaum, Kevin Scarbinsky, or even Philip Fulmer or Tommy Tuberville.

6. His cliche's are old school. We hear things like "This guy is a player", or "We just need to work harder" rather than crap like "Hold the rope" or "MTXE".

5. When the coaches go on a cruise, trip, or golf outing, we NEVER have to worry about who is sleeping in his room. It's NEVER "rolling, baby!"

4. Never panics. Never. Never blames circumstances, and never points fingers. His answer to every single loss is to roll up his sleeves and go back at it.

3. The Ole Miss game, where we ran the clock out instead of adding to the score. It made a serious impression, particularly among Ole Miss fans.

2. He's our rock. Despite being coach of Alabama in the most difficult period in history, he has never wavered. He is as reliable and consistent as Coach himself.

And my FAVORITE thing about Coach Shula:

1. I am not just proud to be an Alabama fan, and not just proud of the way we are rebuilding. When I see Mike Shula walk the sidelines, I am PROUD that my team has that kind of man as a coach - that kind of character, that kind of integrity, and that kind of class. I haven't had that since Gene Stallings, and it's one of the best feelings a Bama fan can have.


ROLL TIDE, Coach Shula!



Classic post - excellent. I'll add 2 more...
Posted by Tufnel Becket on August 11, 2005

1) I love that he and his staff clearly do their own talent-evaluation in recruiting, and go full steam ahead after a recruit that they want. This is evidenced by the fact that, not only do we not hesitate to take a shot at top national talent, but several times we have been the first major program to offer a particular player. Shula clearly does not give a hoot about recruiting magazines, or ratings, or how many "stars" a player has. He does his own evaluations (which do include academics and character), and he goes after the players he wants.

2) He is clearly in charge, and unafraid to make difficult decisions. This is refreshing. Keeping Joe Kines (and a couple of other coaches as well) after the 2003 season was only surpassed on the unpopularity scale by firing Ben Pollard. Yet Shula had a plan, and he knew who he believed in, and he didn't sell out - he did it his way.

These are all very good signs.


Another Coach Shula story you will like! RTR!!! nt
Posted by 2 4 Bama on August 11, 2005

The Alabama Alumni in Pensacola recruit outstanding students in our area to Alabama(not athletes).

Doug Allen who played at Alabama as a tailback/fullback with Coach Shula has a daughter who will be a senior this year in high school and is being recruited academically by everyone especially Princeton, Stanford, etc., of course we wanted her at Alabama.

Coach Shula found out about it since they are friends and offered to write their daughter a "recruiting" letter and other stuff, stating," that he was a pretty good recruiter!"

I also know some other things Coach Shula has done on behalf of Alabama to recruit outstanding students that had nothing to do with athletics.

Folks you do not get this sort of attention to detail, care, and sincere love of a University from most head football coaches or any coaches for that matter! He goes out of his way to do the little things and I believe he sincerely wants to.

We are fortunate to have Coach Shula at Alabama! RTR!!!