@Dwinstitles
Agree w/ everything u said, except ur opening statement.
I don’t think anyone is giving enough credit to something that continued to be emphasized by the broadcasting crew for the game; Culture.
If you have Diaz as coach over the collection of talent Bama has w/ those guys coming from the culture that Saban built, absolutely he wins. But if U’re saying Diaz wins w/ Bama’s players w/ no culture established? Iunno, champ. Your example of Coker is half truth; Coker took over an already established culture w/ Butch’s players. If anything, as Coker continued, we started to recruit on an elite level.
Class of ‘02 - #5 in the nation
Class of ‘03 - #4 in the nation
Class of ‘04 - #3 in the nation
You know what those classes had to show under Coker? Nothing. Why? B/c the culture was completely broken. So once Butch players left, the erosion began, despite being a top 5 “talented” team in the nation, and eventually, our top 5 class ranking started to dip to the top 10, to out of the top 10 w/ regularity.
Like I’ve said many of times, u can have the finest ingredients at a chef’s disposal, but if that **** can’t cook or use those ingredients in harmony, the dish is going to be garbage.
We complain about Pope now, but had a hissy fit when he was rumored to go to Bama.
We complain about Scaife now, but were jumping for joy when the #5 rated OG in the nation signed here.
How often r we going to bash every single 4 & 5 star player that walk through those doors of The Hecht, before we realize the culture is the problem? From a 1st yr HC in Shannon given zero support, to a Wefense failed G5 coach, to a “secret playbook” that-a-boy semi retired HC, to a lisp & slide 1st yr HC. Come on D. Lol.
The WR Metchie, that was high stepping on us? Yeah, he was the #40 ranked WR in his class, bro. I mean, we’ve had a slew of top 10-15 WRs in their class not do what we saw Metchie do. How? It’s not just evaluations (although that’s been poor), it’s our culture Bro. I think I heard u say players were playing video games afterwards, or to that effect…bro, that’s what I mean. Participation trophies after a L, jumping up & down throwing water on each other after squeaking pass CMU, giving out the T.O chain when down by a Lord’s Prayer… bro, we could have every 5 star listed, and I promise u, we would still be an 8-9 win team. Coaching, culture, scheme…all suck ***.