I wouldn't say talent is flowing to Michigan though. Their best recruiting class over the last 4 years was 9th and their overall team talent is 13th. They're on an uptick b/c a lot of key players are really good at the same time, but unless you're pulling in top classes year after year, you're gonna have big ebbs and flows. The team to look out for is A&M. If they suddenly start winning natties and being top 5 year after year, then you can make a case for the talent flowing unfairly to the richest school.

As bigdaddy said, the key is that the 2nd and 3rd stringers are no longer elite at schools like Bama. Just look at FSU v UGA, the drop off once you lose a few starters is astronomical. Bama has lost a TON of talent to the portal this year. Lots of guys that were top 100 national recruits (Roydell Williams, Shazz Preston, Ferguson, Benson, Goodwine, Jones-Bell, Buchner, etc.) Earl Little was a guy that was penciled is as a starter next year that Saban fought hard to keep and he still went to FSU b/c he felt hard done by not receiving enough PT this year. Pre-NIL, Bama gets to keep all these guys and have a 2 deep with insane talent.

If anything, I think NIL will probably add a lot of parity (at least among 10-15 schools) b/c there will be so much turnover, thinner rosters, and some teams will have chemistry issues. There will be a lot more randomness based on which teams luck into the right combo of players.

If you mean his future isn’t winning a NC every other year and being top 4 90% of the time then you are correct. His last 5 years could very well look like peak Steve Spurrier at Florida.

A "hidden" factor is NIL being used to retain players and not just add them. To use Michigan as an example, Blake Corum, Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan, to name three key players, all came back at least in part because of NIL. Pre-NIL all three would have been off to the league after 2022. Okay, maybe a slight question on Corum due to his injury, but I still think he would have been gone.

Coaches will just have to adjust to a different world, where you're going to have to do more than just pay players to get them signed.

Exactly what I mean. And when he fully realizes and accepts that he is hitting the exit at warp speed.

Fun to think about: Who backfills Saban?

The hot name a few years ago was Dabo but his stock has cooled. Could you imagine what Kalen DeBoer would do with Bama level talent and resources?

I'll take Kiffin in the pool.

guessing Dan Lanning is also on the list

Has to be on the short list but depending on the timing might be too expensive to get out of his contract that just automatically extended through 2030 when Oregon won its 10th game?

If Saban doesn't retire soon, Bama might try again to get Glenn Schumann when they have to fill the DC spot. That would leave the option for an in-house replacement once Saban calls it a day. Apparently they already tried to hire him last year but Georgia doubled his salary to keep him.

well it probably won't be next season, maybe a couple of years?
the value of 20 million then is a little bit different from now

Kiffin seems like the smart money pick

I tend to think next year is Saban’s last. He’s lost huge on recruiting/NIL and realignment + 12 team playoff being what it is I just don’t think he’ll be able to keep up or be able to field a team that can be playoff competitive

Or maybe he takes a second swing in the nfl while his name still has value? I just think the longer he stays in college the worse the shine comes off the apple

That's a little harsh considering Bama has the #2 recruiting class in 2024 behind only Georgia.

Lanning or DeBoer before Kiffin printed on t-shirts
copywrighting now

do not confuse with circle k
freshwater nachos suck

Peak Spurrier was still one of the premier football coaches and football programs in the country. Idk if Bama fans can accept not winning one for 5 years while still being great.

I had a Bama guy tell me Sark, to which I replied: LOL WUT

Kevin Steele is retiring at bama. Kinda came out of no where.

Auburn lost their dc to Florida for some reason. Not too sad about that. Get ready to rush 0 on 4th gators

In before Kevin Steele unretires and becomes Auburn's DC for a second time.

You know he’s had 3 stints at Bama right lol

My point exactly

My whole pre-Saban life as a Bama fan, I would have killed for 5 peak Spurrier years

Like actually gone to the electric chair or nitrogen chamber or whatever they do now

My earliest TV sports watching memories are like 1994 Bama

Didn't Saban break the recruiting record in both 2023 and 2022

Alabama has a Nick Saban problem

It's really incredible that y'all think Bama's NIL and whole career development package isn't the best in the business

Interesting to see who Bama targets now. Lanning from Oregon?

According to "sources"...would like to hear him say it.

If it's true, I don't envy whoever gets that job. Almost impossible shoes to fill and fans that will kill you if you fail.