For a program that had (and maybe still has) "No Excuses" plastered outside of its locker room, there have been a lot of excuses coming out of Tuscaloosa following Alabama's 31-17 upset loss to Florida State on Saturday in Tallahassee.
The latest came from former Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron.
"You look at these other teams that have $40-50 million in NIL," he said. "Alabama -- and I know this for a fact, talking to multiple people in the program -- Alabama has less than $20 million in their NIL."
Where to even start with that? For the longest time under Nick Saban, Alabama was the powerhouse in college football, routinely bringing in top recruits from across the nation who, I suppose, for McCarron, just wanted to play for Saban and the Crimson Tide. Nothing under the table could have ever been done, or any shady business. That happens at every school in the nation, but not the Crimson Tide, despite the existence of the Red Elephant Club and, of course, the mysterious "The Machine" that is spoken of in mysterious whispers in Tuscaloosa.
But that's not the point of all of this. Despite McCarron's outrageous claim that Alabama is struggling with NIL money (and heck, they might be), it doesn't make a difference when you get your butts beaten by a less-talented team. And boy, were those rear ends of the Crimson Tide taken behind the shed and whipped by the Seminoles in one of the best games of the opening weekend.
Alabama had several problems, unrelated to NIL, on Saturday, including being outcoached, unorganized, undisciplined, and outhustled by a Florida State team that simply wanted it more than their counterparts. An old foe, Gus Malzahn, had all offseason to work up an offensive game plan to take advantage of the Tide's weaknesses, and it had nothing to do with how much a player was making.
Even when it seemed Alabama would get back into the game, costly penalties and a lack of focus reared their ugly heads for Kalen DeBoer's team. It was the antithesis of a Saban-coached team: unprepared and outworked.
But, for McCarron, the little old Crimson Tide, the little engine that the program is now, just can't compete with the big boys of college football, which was Alabama for the longest time.
No excuses? That motto and belief have run their course in Tuscaloosa, and DeBoer, while a good coach, seems to be in over his head after taking over for a legend.
The Crimson Tide got beat, plain and simple. No amount of money would have made the difference at Doak Campbell Stadium.