It seems football in the Yellowhammer State is back to normal.
First, let’s rewind time to the 2010 season, prior to which the Alabama Crimson Tide were carrying expectations of a repeat national championship and the Auburn Tigers were picked to do anything but take home the crown.
As we all know, the Tide turned in a disappointing 10-3 campaign while Auburn went 13-0, ultimately raising The Coaches’ Trophy after downing Oregon and its formidable offense in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
And the roles weren’t only reversed in terms of team success, but also on an individual front. Alabama’s Mark Ingram brought home the university’s first-ever Heisman Trophy in 2009, then had to watch Cam Newton represent ‘Bama’s archrival by doing the same last season.
Compared with the preseason prognostications, 2010 was an about-face for the state of Alabama’s powerhouse programs.
Now things appear to have returned to a point of equilibrium, and it all started with 2011 recruiting. Once every letter of intent was faxed, the Crimson Tide had secured another No. 1 class, the crown jewel of which was offensive lineman Cyrus Kouandjio.
Kouandjio, a top-five overall prospect from Maryland, committed to Auburn on National Signing Day, only to switch affiliations days later and ink with Nick Saban. The massive, 5-star stud’s flip-flopping created a huge void—both literally and figuratively—in the Tigers’ incoming class, and gave Alabama a possible franchise left tackle for the future.
Fast forward to the present. The Crimson Tide are once again pegged to punch their ticket to the BCS National Championship game as the preseason No. 2 team. Auburn failed to make it into the Top 20, a significant drop-off for a defending national champ.
With all due respect to the boys on the Plains, this is the way history dictates it should be. Love it or disdain it, that’s just the way it is.
I’m merely the messenger.
San Jose Frogs Hampton Roads Piranhas Cascade Surge Nashville Predators Columbus Blue Jackets
No comments:
Post a Comment