Gonzales: Worried about the future of college football? Look at Alabama
Alabama won only six games in two consecutive seasons slightly more than 50 years ago after quarterbacks Joe Namath and Ken Stabler ascended to Hall of Fame greatness in the NFL.
But legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant wasn't afraid to switch to a run-oriented wishbone offense in 1971 that produced five consecutive double-digit win seasons.
In an era where change has been the rule, the Crimson Tide continues to adapt and dominate as they aim for their seventh national title in 13 seasons when they face Georgia Monday night in Indianapolis.
Alabama's recent dominance has occurred despite the recent rule changes and trends that many believe put the sport's purity and traditions in peril.
Purity? The recent implementation of the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rights finally allow the student-athletes (I'll give them the benefit of the doubt) to make money off their popularity after decades in which their athletic departments profited handsomely from jersey and T-shirt sales with their numbers with no player compensation.
Alabama coach Nick Saban told a group of Texas high school coaches at a convention last July that sophomore quarterback Bryce Young was earning close to $1 million thanks to the NIL policy.
Those words can't hurt the Crimson Tide's recruiting efforts in Texas, although the $1 million figure is an anomaly. Opendorse tweeted Thursday that the average NIL compensation ranged from $457 for an interview to $4,923 for a multi-activity endorsement agreement.
Regardless, student-athletes with NIL deals no longer need to worry about relying on their parents to pay their cellphone bills or try to get through a semester with a couple pairs of jeans and sweatpants.
And kudos to those who have earmarked some of their NIL earnings to charities. But don't forget those earnings are taxable.
The popularity of the transfer portal has soared, as student-athletes pursue their form of free agency to seek more playing time, publicity or earn a degree at another school while no longer being required to sit out one year.
Ironically, one of the greatest success stories of the transfer portal is quarterback Jalen Hurts, who transferred from Alabama after the 2018 season to Oklahoma, where he became a runner-up to Joe Burrow for the 2019 Heisman Trophy and Philadelphia's second-round pick in the 2020 draft.
Michigan State relied on 20 transfers, according to the State News, to post a 11-2 record this fall. On the flip side, quarterback Rocky Lombardi transferred from MSU to Northern Illinois and led the Huskies to a 2021 Mid-American Conference title.
Skeptics may question the loyalty of student-athletes who enter the portal, adding that they should have selected the university and not the coach before signing a letter of intent out of high school.
But the increasing volatility in coaching, which started in mid-September with USC's firing of Clay Helton, leaves them with varying degrees of uncertainty - especially if the new coach pulls their scholarship.
Large NFL bonuses also have impacted the college game. Wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave were criticized for opting out of Ohio State's Rose Bowl game to prepare for the draft. But they were only following a trend established five years ago.
The only knock on Wilson and Olave was that they were allowed to stay with their teammates in Pasadena after bailing on them.
Many observers knocked Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey for skipping the 2016 Sun Bowl (against North Carolina and Mitch Trubisky) to prepare for the draft. But McCaffrey was selected eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers and received a $10.7 million signing bonus.
More players, such as defensive lineman Ed Oliver, offensive tackle Andrew Thomas, linebackers Devin Bush and Rashan Gary, wide receivers N'Keal Harry and Kadarius Toney, followed McCaffrey's path and were drafted in the first round.
Alabama? Linebacker Terrell Lewis (now with the Rams) was the last player to skip a bowl game, and that occurred after the 2019 regular season in which the Crimson Tide was relegated to the Citrus Bowl. Loyalty has paid off, as the last three Alabama teams have produced 12 first-round picks.
College football remains popular through decades of changing offenses, layers of legislation and monetization. And there's no better proof than Alabama.
@MDGonzales