Alabama Crimson Tide

From now until kickoff in Arlington, Texas, we'll be counting down from 100 until Alabama and Michigan get the season started. Today, we move to No. 61 and what it means to UA football. See all the previous editions here.

The 1960s were kind to the University of Alabama. The Crimson Tide lost just 16 games, won 88, claimed four conference titles and took home three national championships. In 1966, UA didn't finish No. 1 despite going undefeated. Either way, the Crimson Tide won the decade and returned to prominence in a big way.

The reason for the turnaround after a subpar decade earlier? Paul 'Bear' Bryant. In 1958, Alabama's most legendary football coach heard Mama's call and went from Texas A&M to Tuscaloosa, and changed the history of college football in doing so.

In his first two seasons leading the Tide, Bryant won five and seven games. But in 1960, the light came on. UA went 8-1-2 and played in a bowl game. The next season, Bryant had the Tide undefeated and won the first of his six national championships at Alabama.

The 1960s produced legends like Billy Neighbors, Joe Namath, Ray Perkins and Kenny Stabler. Alabama won five bowl games and lost to Auburn just twice. The Tide finished outside of the Associated Press Top 25 just once, and two years later went 11-1 and won the SEC title.

Only the 1970s rival the success Alabama had in Bryant's first decade coaching in Tuscaloosa. The Tide won all but one conference title from 1970-79 and claimed three more national titles.

The schedule for the third annual ESPN High School Football Kickoff was released Monday, and the event features 26 of the top high school teams from 15 states across the country. It will run from Aug. 24-26.

The three-day span of 13 games will showcase 11 recruits who are currently ranked in the ESPN 150, including University of Alabama targets Kendall Fuller (Olney, Md./Good Counsel), Jordan Cunningham (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./University School) and Derrick Green (Richmond, Va./Hermitage).

Click below for the full schedule of games.

ESPN High School Football Kickoff schedule

From now until kickoff in Arlington, Texas, we'll be counting down from 100 to 1 until Alabama and Michigan get the season started. Today, we move to No. 61 and what it means to UA football. See all the previous editions here.

Recently in our countdown to the season opener against Michigan, we've talked a lot about Alabama's offensive line. It's been only natural when you consider the numbers of each player. Today we'll wrap up the talk of the big uglies with No. 61 Anthony Steen.

Steen may not have the name recognition of a Barrett Jones, D.J. Fluker or Chance Warmack. He may not even been on the tip of people's tongue like sophomore Cyrus Kouandjio. But if the Crimson Tide are hoping to have the best offensive line in the country this season, Steen will have a heavy influence on the outcome. The junior from Mississippi started the majority of games last season and should be the man at right guard, sandwiched between Jones at center and Fluker at right tackle.

The 6-foot-3, 303-pound guard was part of the 2009 signing class, and actually entered school as the No. 39 defensive tackle in the country, according to ESPN. He redshirted that year and transitioned to the offensive line, serving as a backup in 2010 and started the final two games of the season when Jones was sidelined by injury.

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From now until kickoff in Arlington, Texas, we'll be counting down from 100 to 1 until Alabama and Michigan get the season started. Today, we move to No. 62 and what it means to UA football. See all the previous editions here.

In the history of junior college transfers at the University of Alabama, few registered a higher impact than the former nose tackle who wore No. 62 for the Crimson Tide. Terrence Cody, better known to some as Mount Cody for his other worldly size, was an instant impact at UA.

Cody tipped the scales at 6-foot-5, 365 pounds in Tuscaloosa after spending two years at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Coach Nick Saban plugged in the space eater into the heart of his defense in 2008, and never looked back. In his first season with the Tide, Cody became a consensus All-American. The following year his impact was felt on another level. In the Tide's championship run in 2009, it was Cody who saved UA's title chances with a play that would be known simply as "Rocky Block."

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From now until kickoff in Arlington, Texas, we'll be counting down from 100 to 1 until Alabama and Michigan get the season started. Today, we move to No. 63 and what it means to UA football. See all the previous editions here.

What's makes a rivalry a rivalry? Is it proximity, animosity or the evenness of competition? There are multiple ways to define what makes up a rivalry. It's why we can debate endlessly about who a school's biggest rival is.

For the University of Alabama, there can be a case made for multiple schools being rivals of the Crimson Tide. When it comes to proximity, Auburn is the top rival. Mississippi State may be closer but the history of competition just isn't there. When it comes to animosity, it could be Auburn or Tennessee. Both fan bases are steadfast in their hatred for one another. And when it comes to competition, there's Auburn, Florida and LSU. All three schools have played Bama in epic games of late. The Florida SEC Championship back and forth was must-see TV, and the Iron Bowl is appointment viewing no matter the record of both teams.

Then there's LSU. Alabama has the edge in the series. The Tide have won 63 percent of the match ups, with five games ending in ties. But lately, there hasn't been two teams more evenly matched in terms of talent and production. LSU has won six of the last 10, but the games have been close with five of the last six games being decided by nine points or less.

A lot has gone into the rivalry between the two SEC West schools. There's the fact that Nick Saban built the Tigers into a perennial national title contender in his time there. Then there's the way he left for the Miami Dolphins gig. Then there's Les Miles. The Mad Hatter has done little to quell the flames. Then there's the fact that both schools have been arguably the best two programs of the last five years. Both have gone to the SEC Championship game twice since 2007, and have combined to win three BCS National Championships in that time. Miles and Nick Saban are on the Mount Rushmore of current college football coaches, and neither appears ready to relinquish the crown.

But is that enough to call LSU the Tide's biggest rival. Have the Bayou Bengals done enough to overshadow the Iron Bowl, or is that just a case of the Johnny come lately? Or has the Tennessee-Alabama rivalry conjured enough ill will to earn the crown? Vote on it inside The Tusk.

Here at TideNation, we did something a little different this week. Greg Ostendorf and Alex Scarborough took a long, hard look at some of the top prospects in the 2014 class. With 18 players already committed to this year's class, why not look ahead? Why not zero in on a few high-profile athletes who are on Alabama's radar and might make the difference as Nick Saban aims for yet another top-three finish in the class rankings?

What we came up with was a comprehensive look at some of the best athletes in the country and told you their stories.

• Alex Scarborough writes: Louisiana running back Leonard Fournette has seen the worst humanity has to offer, but stays positive. He battles adversity every day and has become one of the best tailbacks in the country.
• Greg Ostendorf writes: Landon Collins caused a stir when he chose Alabama over LSU, much to his mother's disapproval. Now his younger brother, defensive lineman Gerald Willis, is starting the recruiting process. Video: Willis talks with Ostendorf about how his recruitment has gone thus far.
• Dave Hooker writes: Todd Kelly Jr., son of the former star Tennessee Volunteer, is making a name for himself. the star defensive back has several options, including the Crimson Tide.
• Alex Scarborough writes: Marlon Humphrey is a 2014 defensive back who is piling up major offers, including one from Alabama, where his father, Bobby, was a talented tailback in the mid-1980s.
• Greg Ostendorf writes: The state of Alabama is brimming with talent in next year's class, including one of the nation's best running backs, Bo Scarbrough. The Crimson Tide are keeping an eye on them all.
• Each day, Ostendorf broke down the top prospects in the state of Alabama. Find his analysis here.

Chris Low discusses the X-factors for Alabama this season — offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio and linebacker Adrian Hubbard.