2003 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
Encyclopedia
The 2003 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama
during the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
. They began their season trying to improve from a 10–3 (6–2) record from the 2002 season
. This was the team's 71st year in the SEC
. This season was the last that the team played games at Legion Field
in Birmingham
due to unsafe conditions with the upper deck.
Head coach Dennis Franchione
left after just two years with the program and one year after the team was hit with NCAA
sanctions. He took a job at Texas A&M, deemed a controversial move.
The team later hired Washington State
head coach Mike Price
in December 2002 who coached the team until the spring of 2003. A story in Sports Illustrated
said that Price had been seen at a strip club
"making it rain" and yelling "Roll Tide, Roll!". He allegedly later checked into a local hotel with at least one exotic dancer
from the club. The magazine further alleged Price had sex with one of the strippers, a claim which Price denied, although he acknowledged being intoxicated on the evening in question. He filed a $20 million libel and defamation suit against Sports Illustrated. He was subsequently fired by Alabama
, though having never signed a contract.
On May 9, 2003, Alabama hired Mike Shula
as their fourth head coach in four years.
, after a rough off-season which had multiple coaching changes. The team struggled throughout the season, though they did come close in most of their games. Notable games from the 2003 season included a tough fought 20–13 loss to #1 ranked Oklahoma and versus rival Tennessee
which ended in a 51–43 five-overtime loss for the Crimson Tide.
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
during the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate....
. They began their season trying to improve from a 10–3 (6–2) record from the 2002 season
2002 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2002 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 106th overall season, 70th as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 11th within the SEC Western Division...
. This was the team's 71st year in the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
. This season was the last that the team played games at Legion Field
Legion Field
Legion Field is a large stadium in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, primarily designed to be used as a venue for American football, but is occasionally used for other large outdoor events. The stadium is named in honor of the American Legion, a U.S. organization of military veterans. At its peak...
in Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
due to unsafe conditions with the upper deck.
Head coach Dennis Franchione
Dennis Franchione
Dennis Wayne Franchione , also known as Coach Fran, is an American football coach. He is currently the head football coach at Texas State University, a position he held from 1990 to 1991, when the school was known as Southwest Texas State University, and resumed in 2011...
left after just two years with the program and one year after the team was hit with NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
sanctions. He took a job at Texas A&M, deemed a controversial move.
The team later hired Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
head coach Mike Price
Mike Price
Mike Price is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso , a position he has held since 2004...
in December 2002 who coached the team until the spring of 2003. A story in Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
said that Price had been seen at a strip club
Strip club
A strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....
"making it rain" and yelling "Roll Tide, Roll!". He allegedly later checked into a local hotel with at least one exotic dancer
Exotic dancer
The terms exotic dancer and exotic dance can have different meanings in different parts of the world and depending on context. In the erotic sense, "exotic dance" is a often used to refer to practitioners of striptease...
from the club. The magazine further alleged Price had sex with one of the strippers, a claim which Price denied, although he acknowledged being intoxicated on the evening in question. He filed a $20 million libel and defamation suit against Sports Illustrated. He was subsequently fired by Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
, though having never signed a contract.
On May 9, 2003, Alabama hired Mike Shula
Mike Shula
Mike Shula is an American football quarterback coach for the Carolina Panthers, an NFL team. Between 2003 and 2006, he was the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program.- Early life :...
as their fourth head coach in four years.
Summary
Alabama began their season under first-year coach Mike ShulaMike Shula
Mike Shula is an American football quarterback coach for the Carolina Panthers, an NFL team. Between 2003 and 2006, he was the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program.- Early life :...
, after a rough off-season which had multiple coaching changes. The team struggled throughout the season, though they did come close in most of their games. Notable games from the 2003 season included a tough fought 20–13 loss to #1 ranked Oklahoma and versus rival Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
which ended in a 51–43 five-overtime loss for the Crimson Tide.
Schedule
- Source: Rolltide.com All-time Football Results: 2003 Season