Crimson Red Sports

“I think it probably intimidated some people, it probably discouraged some people away," Williams said. "Anyone who would sign here I already have a little bit of respect for because they’re willing to come to an environment like this, where you’re expected to be the best.

“I think that’s what we live for, it’s what we work for here.”

Heading into spring practices Alabama's roster features 19 players who were considered consensus 5-star recruits, in addition to 49 4-star prospects. Combined, that's just under 80 percent of the entire team.

...

“Yeah, it’s probably a record,” said college football analyst Phil Steele, who writes the wildly popular season preview magazine that’s become an annual industry staple. “I can’t recall anybody prior to that having that many, and the [previous] three straight classes really helped.”

Only national afterthoughts complain about recruiting rankings. The rest are aware of National Signing Day’s greatest truth: There is a direct line between winning in February and winning in the fall. There is no greater example of this fact than Alabama, which closed with a series of top-tier prospects to seal its ninth recruiting class in a row ranked among the elite of college football. As of Wednesday afternoon, Alabama had the nation's No. 1 class according to a composite ranking by the four most prominent recruiting services. ...

“I think they've had five No. 1 recruiting classes out of the last six years, which has got to make him the greatest recruiter in the history of college football,” Steve Spurrier said. “Arguably, they've got the greatest collection of football players ever assembled for a college team. If the recruiting services are correct, and they're pretty much correct.”

I wonder how successful Spurrier would be if, after Kiffen finally leaves Bama he were hired by Saban to be our OC?