Nobody knows more about the championship mentality of Alabama football than former Crimson Tide players.
They are the individuals that battled on the field for an opportunity to wear the jersey with a scripted A and compete for championships with their teammates, position coaches, and head coach Nick Saban. Saban told an ocean of Tide fans in 2007 they would have a product they could be proud of. The former players took it upon themselves to prove Saban right in his statement, but the product has dropped in performance since they left. Alabama has two former players investing back into the program, Josh Chapman and Jamey Mosley, however, it needs more passionate players to return and right the ship.
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Names such as Marquis Maze, Nick Gentry, Reggie Ragland, Tim Williams, Dont’a Hightower, Eddie Jackson, Raekwon Davis, and Caleb Castille have been very vocal on Twitter about how disappointing it has been this season for Alabama.
Gentry, a former defensive lineman, has offered his services to return to his Alma mater and coach the defensive line.
Mike McCoy, a former Alabama receiver, has been vocal on multiple shows about the ‘elementary’ play-calling of Bill O’Brien’s offense. He has also been concerned about the lack of excellence on defense and the lack of energy on the sideline. McCoy has mentioned several times that Saban may need to call Scott Cochran back home. These players built the Crimson Tide into the Goliath of college football. They gave opponents anxiety’ and put fear into anyone that questioned Alabama’s greatness.
These were athletes that not only scared opponents but media pundits as well. Former players care about the program as much as the Alabama fans do. They know what it takes to get to the top and maintain it. Alabama is missing that level of passion, and it needs to involve more former players to restore it.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
