Alabama National Championship Coaches-Gene Stallings
The next Alabama head football coach to win a national championship was Eugene Clifton "Bebes" Stallings, Jr. Of course folks from around these parts know him as Gene.
Stallings was born in March of 1935 in Paris, Texas and coached the Alabama Crimson Tide from 1990 to 1996, winning the National Championship in 1992. He had a Bear Bryant connection, serving as an assistant coach under the legendary head coach from 1958 to 1964. He was part of the coaching staff that led Bama to national championships in 1961 and 1964.
Stallings was an outstanding athlete himself, having served as captain of the football, baseball, and golf teams at Paris High School. He was recruited by Ray George to play football for the Texas A&M Aggies, but was later replaced by Paul "Bear" Bryant. Stallings was one of the 30 or so "Junction Boys" that hung around long after the others had left, and suffered through a 1-9 season that first year. But two years later he was part of the team that went 9-0-1, bringing home the Aggies first Southwest Conference Championship.
Following the 1964 season as a defensive assistant to Bryant at Alabama, at the tender of age of 29, he was named the head coach at Texas A&M. In seven seasons he posted a record of 27-45-1 while winning one Southwest Conference title in 1967.
Stallings went into coaching in the NFL in 1972 as a secondary coach for Tom Landry and the Dallas Cowboys. 14 years and one Super Bowl win later he was named head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals. His four-year record was 23-34-1. He resigned in 1989.
He was hired by the University of Alabama in 1990 to replace the departing Bill Curry. His first season the Tide went 7-5 and won the Iron Bowl. In 1991 Bama went 11-1 and beat Colorado in the Blockbuster Bowl.
Alabama's 1992 team had a brutal defense, carrying them to a perfect 12-0 regular season. They then shut down Florida in the first-ever SEC Championship Game which was held, at the time, at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
It was on to the 1993 Sugar Bowl where the 1992 National Championship would be decided againast the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes. Almost no one gave the Tide a chance in that game. However, when the lights were turned out the Crimson Tide had turned the Hurricanes into a tropical depression, wrapping up a perfect 13-0 season and a consensus National Champonship. Stallings was named "Coach of the Year" by the American Football Coaches Association, the Football Writers Association of America, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Maxwell Football Club, and the Southeastern Conference.
Stallings' 1993 team went 9-3-1 losing to LSU, Auburn, and the SEC Championship game to Florida. The tie came with Tennessee.
The 1994 team again went undefeated in the regular season, but lost to Florida in the SEC Championship Game held in Atlanta, Georgia. They beat Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl to end the season 12-1. Stallings was awarded his second Coach of the Year honor from the Southeastern Conference.
It was in 1995 that the Antonio Langham debacle emerged with athletic director Hootie Ingram being complicit in falsifying his eligibility for the '93 season. Bama was placed on probation with several penalties. The team went 8-3.
The 1996 team went 9-2, and then lost again to Florida in the SEC Championship Game. Then on to the Outback Bowl and a victory over Michigan. It was November, 23, 1996 that Gene Stallings announced his resignation as head coach at the University of Alabama. He compiled a record of 70-16-1, or with forfeited victories a record of 62-25. His overall collegiate coaching record stands at 97-61-2, ignoring the forfeited wins. He had a bowl record of 6-1.
The 1996 Alabama Crimson Tide football team went 9-2, then lost again to Florida in the SEC Championship before beating Michigan in the Outback Bowl. On November 23 of that year, Stallings announced his resignation. He completed his tenure at Alabama with a 70-16-1 record (or 62-25 accounting for forfeited victories). His overall collegiate head coaching record, ignoring the forfeited wins, stands at 97-61-2, with a 6-1 record in bowl games.
Gene Stallings was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1995, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1996, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
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12 Bama Players Named To Pre-Season 2015 All-SEC Team
A total of 12 players from the University of Alabama football team were named to the 2015 SEC Media Days All-SEC Team yesterday. Bama placed six on the first team, two on the second team, and four on the third team.
First team selections were offensive linemen Cam Robinson and Ryan Kelly, defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson, linebacker Reggie Ragland, defensive back Cyrus Jones, and punter J. K. Scott.
Those named to the second team were running back Derrick Henry and defensive lineman Jonathan Allen.
Third team selections consisted of running back Kenyan Drake, tight end O.J. Howard, defensive lineman Jarran Reed, and defensive back Eddie Jackson.
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9 Tide Players Plus Saban Make Watch Lists
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
It has become something that Alabama fans expect. Of course, when coaches can recruit the best players in the nation to come to the University of Alabama, then "coach-them-up" even more, one would expect to see many of those players on pre-season watch lists and/or eventually win those awards.
Now there are nine Bama football players on 11 different watch lists. A total of 17 awards have released their lists.
Receiving the most nominations are senior linebacker Reggie Ragland and junior defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson with four each. Both were named to the Bednarik Award for the defensive player of the year, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for the most outstanding defensive player, and the Rotary Lombardi Award for the best down lineman or linebacker. Add to that the Butkus Award watch list for the top linebacker for Ragland. Robinson's fourth watch list is the Outland Trophy for the top interior lineman.
Speaking of the Outland Trophy watch list, three other Crimson Tide players have been added to that list. They are Jarran Reed, Cam Robinson, and Ryan Kelly. Kelly is on two additional watch lists this season. They are the Rimington Trophy for the top center as well as the Rotary Lombardi Award.
Jonathan Allen made the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, making three Tiders on that list.
O.J. Howard made the John Mackey Award watch list. This award is for the top tight end in the country.
Making the watch list for the top punter in the nation, the Ray Guy Award, is J.K. Scott.
Last, but certainly not least, is running back Derrick Henry. He has made three watch lists, including the Doak Walker Award for the nation's top running back, the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. These last two are giving to the top college football player in the land.
Though not a player, let's not forget Alabama head football coach Nick Saban, who has been named to the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year watch list.
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O.J. Howard Nominated For Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
O.J. Howard is one of the good ones.
In a day when one hears of so many college football players slapping girlfriends, getting a DUI, stealing lobsters, robbing homes and such, isn't it good to know that there are still athletes that care? That want to make a difference? That want to help their fellow man.
Howard is just such a person.
Junior tight end O.J. Howard has been nominated for the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. This is one to be especially proud of, as it is one of the most esteemed off-field honors in college football. This is the one that designates a player as not just a player, but a humanitarian, a giver, one who wants to make a difference in the world.
Howard has been a busy man off the field while at the University of Alabama performing a wide range of community service projects. He has especially enjoyed working with children on the one hand, and the elderly on the other.
Whether it's visiting hospitals, their homes, nursing homes, or retirement homes, O.J. Howard has been there to help.
There will be a final roster of 97 nominees unveiled in September.
