Mal Moore inherited an Alabama program in turmoil when he took over as director of athletics in November of 1999.
The football team was in the NCAA’s doghouse after multiple violations. Some were before Moore took over and some during the early parts of his career. Probations were levied while he was AD.
There were the Dennis Franchione years. There was the Mike Price debacle. And who can forget the inept teams Mike Shula put on the field? Moore’s early years as the athletic director showed no signs of him having a promising future.
Now, 13 years later, Moore is the man behind one of the most successful athletic departments in the country. The athletic budget has grown from $35 million to nearly $100 million.
Moore hired arguably the best coach in all of college football – Nick Saban. Saban’s initial eight-year, $32 million contract seemed ridiculous to fans and media pundits, but after two national championships in three years, most can agree it was worth every penny.
Moore hired women’s head golf coach Mic Potter seven years ago. Potter, along with senior Brooke Pancake, led his team to its first national championship in school history, becoming the first sport other than football and gymnastics to win a national championship.
Moore didn’t hire gymnastics coach Sarah Patterson, but during his tenure, renovations to Coleman Coliseum have helped Patterson and the Tide win back-to-back national championships.
If you’re keeping count that makes three national championships this academic year, and Alabama may not be done yet. Head coach Patrick Murphy and ace pitcher Jackie Traina have the softball team in the Women’s College World Series for the eighth time in school history.
Head coach Jay Seawell has the No. 2 seed men’s golf team in its sixth NCAA Championship appearance in eight years. If both teams are successful, that will bring the Tide’s total to five – one shy of Stanford’s record of six in an academic year in 1992.
Outside of winning national championships, Moore oversaw Bryant-Denny Stadium expand to over 101,000 seats, as well as the building of new tennis, soccer and softball stadiums.
Obviously, Moore isn’t the only person that deserves credit because it takes a great supporting cast to build such a successful program. But a certain level of praise should be given to the person who has the led the charge.
Alabama’s return to national prominence under Moore has not been an easy road, but the school’s recent success makes the early struggles under Moore look like minor speed bumps.
