Alabama football listed among 20 hardest coaching jobs in the world
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It’s no secret that whoever takes a job with the University of Alabama football team will be under intense pressure.
Sure, you may become a multi-millionaire as soon as you accept the job but with it comes high expectations. And that is even more clear with Kalen DeBoer taking over after Nick Saban’s historic run in Tuscaloosa.
But where does it rank among the hardest jobs in international sports? The Athletic tried to find that answer.
Alabama football
First, let’s make the case for Alabama football.
The standard was set during the early years of the program and it just escalated as the sport grew across the country. Coaches like Bear Bryant and Gene Stallings built those expectations even before Nick Saban arrived.
That’s why coaches who do not win early and often last very long (i.e. the four coaches in 10 seasons between Stallings and Saban).
“In the early to mid-1900s, a time in the United States when elite Northeast universities and large institutions in the Midwest often ruled the sport, Alabama was a Southern powerhouse and source of pride for much of the state, though in-state rival Auburn also commands similar support. That Iron Bowl rivalry is yet another aspect that makes the Alabama job so difficult. An otherwise successful season can be severely damaged or even ruined by a loss to Auburn in the regular-season finale.
“There is a saying that college football is like a religion in the Deep South, as much a part of a fan’s identity as their faith. Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, capacity 100,077, is among college football’s largest and most hallowed cathedrals. Successful coaches at Alabama become legends. Coaches who fail to meet the lofty expectations, even respected alumni such as Ray Perkins, Mike DuBose and Mike Shula, are forever remembered for their shortcomings.”
Ralph Russo, The Athletic
Of course, things only got more difficult for any Alabama coach of the future thanks to the success of Nick Saban. That’s what put Alabama over the top as the only college football program to make The Athletic’s top 20 list.
“Kalen DeBoer took on maybe the greatest challenge in college football history two years ago by signing up to be the coach who replaced Nick Saban. Saban produced an unprecedented run of six national titles in 17 seasons at Alabama from 2007 to 2023.
“Alabama fans became accustomed to ruling the sport under Saban. But it has historically set the standard at national championship for its football program, long predating Saban. Before him, coach Bear Bryant won six national championships with the football team during the 1960s and 1970s and their excellence stretches back almost a century — with their 30 Southeastern Conference football championships by far the most in the history of the storied league.”
Ralph Russo, The Athletic
What is the hardest coaching job in the sports world?
To no surprise, The Athletic’s international list was filled with soccer teams, both at the country and club level. The list included just two NBA teams, one NFL Team and one MLB team, representing the largest professional sports leagues in America.
But Alabama managed to sneak on the list as the only collegiate program.
The Athletic, which is part of the New York Times, called these jobs the “poisoned chalice roles” where coaches also have to contend with the weight of a glorious history.
“We asked our writers across all sports for their nominations for the title, from Manchester United to the USWNT via Ferrari team principal (among others). In each case, reporters were asked to focus on those teams’ wider historical context rather than simply this current season.”
The Athletic subscribers can join the conversation and vote at the bottom of the article.
Which coaching jobs do you think should have made the list? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.
