We are inching closer to conference media days, preseason camps, and the return of college football.
After winning back-to-back College Football Playoff National Championships, the running narrative is the University of Georgia has taken over as the “new standard” of college football. Several media pundits would take Kirby Smart over Nick Saban because they feel he fits today’s game better. Some have also written off Alabama’s chances of winning a national championship in the fall, but an ESPN pundit is wanting people to pump the brakes. Kirk Herbstreit, a mainstay for ESPN’s College Football GameDay, was on Pat McAfee’s Show on Thursday. McAfee said Smart is John Cena challenging the Rock (Saban) stating that his time is over, and it is Smart’s time to run college football. Herbstreit said people have to be careful with narratives for the Crimson Tide.
“You have to be a step ahead of everything in this world,” Herbstreit said.”David Pollack said ‘There is a new, there is a new,’ but that is right when Alabama comes back and throws their trump card down and whips everyone. I haven’t dug in, and I am already leaning toward Alabama to win the national championship. Just when you say ‘Nick is done, Alabama is done, Kirby, goodbye here comes Alabama. If I am betting right now, I don’t know what it says in Vegas, but I’m betting Alabama to win the national championship. At this point, it is guaranteed. We will see what happens with injuries and whatnot, but do not sleep on Alabama.”
Alabama made changes at both coordinator positions, letting go of Bill O’Brien and Pete Golding for Tommy Rees and Kevin Steele. It signed another marquee recruiting class and has veterans returning. The Tide also has a schedule that features most of its challenging matchups at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Herbstreit sees a huge year for the Tide, but we will see what happens.
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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.
