Goodman: Time to rethink everything we know about Alabama football (2024)

This is an opinion column.

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There was an ice cream social after football practice at the University of Alabama on Wednesday.

The pads went on for fall camp, the sun came out and then the ice-cream man pulled his van onto the practice field to celebrate a good day of hard work.

An ice-cream truck at Alabama’s football practice? I needed a double take. Hot as it was, my eyes were not playing tricks on me.

The truck played its ice-cream jingle, and the Crimson Tide had some fun.

Paul Bryant had his Junction Boys at Texas A&M, and new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has his Ice Cream Crimson Tide. My only complaint is that there weren’t any treats for reporters, too. What’s a writer gotta do to get a bomb pop?

Listening to receiver Germie Bernard talk about DeBoer’s love of post-practice ice-cream parties, I found myself wondering if former Alabama coach Nick Saban has ever eaten an ice cream sandwich in his entire life.

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Saban is gone, and everything is different about Alabama these days. I’m not complaining either. For the first time in years, I was able to ask an assistant coach at Alabama not one but two questions on the record during fall camp. For the first time in an age, reporters on the Alabama beat are being allowed glimpses behind the scenes. On Wednesday, my first day in Tuscaloosa for fall camp, I strolled through the indoor practice facility for the first time in years and felt like I was being welcomed instead of herded.

Staffers even said, “Hi.”

What in the world?

Under Saban, reporters were treated like the enemy or worse. News conferences were scripted and controlled. Even positive stories were vilified as “rat poison.” It created a hostile working environment at all times. I had staffers tracking my every move when assistant coaches and players were around.

I’ll never forget Rose Bowl media day. Everyone was on high alert. I had a conversation with Saban’s priest, Father Gerald Holloway, and one of Alabama’s PR staffers hovered nearby trying eavesdrop. Father Holloway led my son’s memorial service and has been a friend of my family for decades.

Looking back, it’s easy to see why Saban was so uneasy. He was about to retire. I had a good idea it was coming, but no one would dare speak about it.

It’s time to rethink everything we know about Alabama football. Saban ran the program with fear. DeBoer does things differently. Both ways work, but with DeBoer everyone’s blood pressure seems to be a little lower.

One of the big questions this season for Alabama is the ability of its new offensive coordinator. Nick Sheridan was not DeBoer’s first choice, and that has some people nervous about Alabama’s transition from one head coach to the next. Originally, DeBoer planned to bring his trusted offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb, from Washington to Alabama. At the last minute, and after DeBoer was already hired, the Seattle Seahawks swooped in and made their play.

Grubb decided to stay in the Pacific Northwest and Sheridan, who coached tight ends at Washington, was promoted.

Sheridan and DeBoer have a solid history together. They coached together as assistants at Indiana in 2019. When DeBoer left to coach Fresno State in 2020, Sheridan stayed behind and filled DeBoer’s old job as the Hoosiers’ offensive coordinator. DeBoer was hired at Washington for the 2022 season. That’s when both Sheridan and Indiana quarterback Michael Penix, Jr., left the Midwest for the West Coast.

I like Sheridan. I get the impression that he’s an old-school, no-nonsense football guy. His father is a beloved linebackers coach. Sheridan was asked about the ice-cream social and he swatted down the question like an annoying fly buzzing around the brim of his cap.

“I couldn’t say I paid a ton of attention to the post-practice snack,” Sheridan said. “I’m sure that’s not the first time Coach has given the guys ice cream.”

I was told going into the interview that Sheridan already has a reputation for being short and to the point. His answer to my first question fit the profile.

Back at Washington, why did the dynamic between Ryan Grubb and Kalen DeBeor work so well?

“Trust,” Sheridan said. “I think that would be the easiest answer. Trust.”

On a follow-up question, Sheridan opened up a bit.

How does Kalen build trust with his assistant coaches?

“Communication,” Sheridan said. “You know, I think in any relationship trust is earned, and he has hired people who are great people and really quality at what they do.

“But I think constant communication. I think he does a great job setting a vision for the staff on what his standards and what his expectations are. He’s constantly holding us to that and we have incredibly high standards collectively as a staff and certainly the vision and leadership that he sets, we follow that lead.

“I think he empowers the staff, he hires people he trusts and you guys all know that I’m biased right. I love the guy and I think he’s a tremendous head coach and a wonderful leader. He’s a great husband and father. I mean, any other good things you want me to say about Kalen?”

Nah, that’ll do for now, Coach.

Kinda sounds a lot like Saban, but with ice cream.

BE HEARD

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Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the most controversial sports book ever written, “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”