NFL analyst Ryan Clark doubled down on his beliefs surrounding Alabama football on Friday. Clark took to Twitter (also known as X), taking yet another shot at the Crimson Tide, believing the program continues to head towards an inevitable downturn.
Y’all thought I was playing about @AlabamaFTBL. They have tons of kids in the portal, and a number of decommitments already. Kalen DeBoer Is a really good coach with an impressive resume, but he ain’t Bear. Sure ain’t Nick!! They made Tuscaloosa a place to win championships. Most… pic.twitter.com/67pzVLP7qG
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) January 19, 2024
Ryan Clark: Takes Shots at Alabama Football
“They have tons of kids in the portal and a number of decommitments already. Kalen DeBoer is a really good coach with an impressive resume, but he ain’t Bear. Sure, ain’t Nick!! They made Tuscaloosa a place to win championships. Most of the others have faltered. Oh & #GeauxTigers.”
Tagged alongside Clark’s tweet was an old segment of an appearance on ESPN’s flagship show, First Take. During a nearly three-minute monologue, Clark spoke about how Alabama should expect seven to eight-win seasons without Nick Saban. The former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back believed that the Crimson Tide would falter after the departure of Saban because Tuscaloosa provides little value without a Hall of Fame head coach.
Clark gives new Alabama football head coach Kalen DeBoer his flowers but reiterates that he lacks the pedigree of Saban and former Alabama national championship-winning coach Bear Bryant. He further illustrates that most other Alabama head coaches have struggled to win at a consistently high level. Gene Stallings in 1992 and Wallace Wade in 1925 and 1926 are the only coaches outside Saban and Bryant to bring a title back to Tuscaloosa. However, Alabama last missed a bowl game in 2003, the first of the Mike Shula era.
Alabama Crimson Tide: Decimated by Transfer Portal and Decommitments
NCAA Football: Alabama Press Conference-Head Coach Kalen DeBoer Introduction
The Crimson Tide have experienced a mass exodus since the retirement of six-time champion Nick Saban. They continue to bleed transfers, with former five-star mega prospect and quarterback Julian Sayin entering the portal on Friday. They have also lost star defensive back Caleb Downs, running back Roydell Williams, corner Dezz Ricks, tight end Amari Niblack, and linebacker Kendrick Blackshire, among others.
The Crimson Tide have also seen multiple players, including two five-star receivers, decommit from the program. Ryan Williams and Jaime Ffrench withdrew their commitments last week. Five-star edge rusher Zion Grady also announced his decommitment from the program.
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