Shula Out as 'Bama Head Coach
You want to know how important the Iron Bowl is in the state of Alabama?
It might have cost Mike Shula his job.
When we went to the Iron Bowl a few weeks ago, I asked a number of people who either cover or watch Alabama regularly about Shula's job security. Most people said his status was uncertain. He might come back. He might get fired. I would say that the general feeling was, if people had to pick one outcome, Shula would be let go.
But I think he might have sealed his fate with some questionable coaching decisions that made him the first Crimson Tide coach ever to lose four consecutive games to Auburn.
On two instances, Alabama took too long to get the field goal unit out and had to burn timeouts. Then, Shula decided to go for it on fourth and 15 in the fourth quarter. It was a one-possession game at the time, and Alabama was in field goal range. Not everyone disagreed with that decision, but it backfired, as an incomplete pass gave Auburn the ball back. Auburn won by seven.
I can remember thinking at the time that the move would give more ammunition to the people calling for Shula's head.
Here's the bottom line. Coaching Alabama is one of the most difficult jobs in the country. The expectations are incredibly high. The legend of Bear Bryant is a lot to compete against. Shula put together a terrific 2005 season, but that isn't enough. At Alabama, you're expected to win every year.
I recall speaking to some Alabama fans about that. They talked about the demand for a winning program, not just a few winning teams here and there. They agreed that they've been spoiled by past success, but that doesn't seem to change their yearly expectations.
When you coach a program with a winning tradition, you have an advantage over other schools. Some recruits will be attracted to the program just because of the name alone. But you're at a disadvantage as well. You must win now. You must win next year, and the year after that.
And you must beat your in-state rival. Shula couldn't do that in his time at Alabama. I'm not saying that's the only reason he was fired, but I think it played a significant role in the decision.
