Ray Melick is a sports columnist for the Birmingham News and is also co-hosts "The Big Time" from 3-6pm on WJOX 690am in Birmingham, AL.
What are your thoughts on bringing back Neil Callaway to handle the O-Line and Offensive Coordinator duties? My gut tells me he's out at Georgia after this year.
I'm a big fan of Neil Callaway, as an offensive line coach. As a coordinator, he's mostly the guy who ``coordinates'' what the head coach wants done during the week, but has always worked for head coaches who called the plays. However, he's the best offensive line coach Alabama has had in the last 20 years. I don't know that he will be `out' at Georgia after this year; as I said, he's really the o-line coach who works with Richt during the week.
Is the Alabama job back to being one of the better jobs in the country?
Alabama is still a great job and always has been. Coaches know it's one of those jobs where you can win. No coach has failed to win at least 10 games there since Ears Whitworth - and before him, every coach won 10 games at least once back to the early 1900s. The facilities, the money, the recruiting base, the political support - it's all there.
Can Coach Shula make it through another 7-5 or 8-4 season next year, even with a change at OC?
I don't know if Coach Shula can make it through another 7-5 or 8-4 season next year. He is is own offensive coordinator. It might help if he'd release those responsibilities to someone else, but I don't think he will. On the other hand, Mal Moore has a lot invested in Shula. He doesn't want to have to admit he made a mistake.
Hopefully we'll be keeping in touch with both Ray and Mitch as we go along for the rest of the year, on through the basketball season, and into the preseason.
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