บท 31: The World Moves for Gain
To be honest, the running back position for the Crimson Tide this season was full of challenges, with injuries becoming a major obstacle—something even the best coach couldn't fix.
The decision to start Jacobs as the lead running back was a reflection of the coaching staff's dilemma.
However, looking at it from another perspective, even though Jacobs was still in high school, his talent and ability were undeniable. He earned his spot through hard work, and with the team's current roster, he was indeed the best choice for starting running back.
As for Lance?
There was no doubt about his excellence. But having only been exposed to football for three weeks, the time was just too short.
In Saban's original plan, he envisioned using Lance as a secret weapon, someone to surprise opponents and turn the tide.
But after yesterday's scrimmage, Saban found himself rethinking that strategy. Hearing Burns' suggestion now, his first instinct wasn't to reject it.
Thoughts surged through Saban's mind.
Saban was more experienced and rational. Despite how tempting Burns' idea was, he hit the brakes and kept himself grounded—
He had to consider the big picture.
Yesterday's scrimmage was, after all, just an internal practice. Lance's intelligence gave him a significant advantage; he knew the defensive strategies of the starting team inside and out. But what about external games? Could Lance perform just as well against other teams?
"Let's see how he does in the warm-up games."
Burns wasn't surprised by Saban's response. After all, regardless of who was the starting running back, everyone would get a chance to play in the warm-up games. They needed to evaluate everyone's level of play.
In football, preseason games and scrimmages all served the same purpose—not just in the NCAA but also in the NFL. It was the best way to test team rosters.
Winning or losing?
It didn't matter—it held no real value.
Football games last for four quarters, and in warm-up games, teams usually use one lineup for the first half and a completely different one for the second. The goal is to test the team's cohesion and the players' condition. It's all about coaches refining strategies, making adjustments, and figuring out the right combinations.
Some teams even rotate a new lineup every quarter, testing various player combinations to gauge how well training has progressed.
In both the NCAA and the NFL, the number of players in training camp is huge at the beginning of the season. After the preseason games, the coaching staff will start making cuts to meet the league's roster limits. This means that during the warm-up games, everyone on the team gets a chance to play.
That's the real value of preseason games.
The Crimson Tide were no exception.
As one of the top football programs in the NCAA, many teams were eager—if not desperate—to play preseason games against them.
The reason?
Television broadcasts!
This had been mentioned before, but now it was time to explore it in more depth. Behind it lay a complex web of interests.
In the NCAA, there are three divisions: Division I, Division II, and Division III. Division I is the most prestigious, home to the traditional powerhouses.
Division I is further divided into conferences like the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, ACC, and the SEC—
The University of Alabama belongs to the SEC (Southeastern Conference), playing 12 regular-season games each year—eight within the conference and four against teams from other conferences, which rotate annually. This means they face different teams each season.
In the 1970s, sports conferences were mostly based on geography. For example, all the teams in the SEC came from the southeastern United States. Even away games were just in neighboring cities or states, so fans could easily travel to watch their teams.
Naturally, each conference had its own strong teams and long-standing rivalries.
But as the 1980s and 1990s rolled around, television broadcasting boomed, and broadcast rights became a major source of revenue for universities. Competition between conferences became increasingly fierce.
It all started with the Big Ten Conference.
At that time, the Big Ten boasted powerhouse football programs like Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan. The conference leaders wanted to increase their revenue because national networks like ABC and CBS could only broadcast a limited number of important college games.
To make more money, the Big Ten Network was created. It was dedicated to airing games that couldn't get airtime on national television, including not only football but also basketball, volleyball, hockey, baseball, gymnastics, and more.
This cable network made its money through subscriptions—the more subscribers, the more profit. The Big Ten Network was wildly successful, becoming a dominant force in the Midwest.
It's worth noting that NCAA football consistently ranks among the top in nationwide viewership, even outperforming professional leagues like the NBA, NHL, and MLB. While not as big as the NFL, some NCAA football games even surpass NFL regular-season games in viewership—
The fact that ESPN was willing to broadcast the Crimson Tide's internal scrimmage says it all.
The Big Ten Network wasn't satisfied with its success. It sought to expand and broke the NCAA's tradition of regional conferences. In 2010, it added the University of Nebraska, a football powerhouse, and in 2015, it added Maryland and Rutgers—
Although Maryland and Rutgers weren't football powerhouses, one was located in New York, and the other in Washington, D.C. This brought the densely populated East Coast into the Big Ten's subscriber base, turning it into the most powerful NCAA conference.
Naturally, other conferences didn't sit idly by.
The SEC led the charge.
Southern schools are fanatical about football, and their viewership has always been strong. With traditional powerhouses like Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, and Georgia, the SEC had a solid foundation. They created their own TV network and started recruiting other schools.
One key player was the University of Texas.
Texas is the second-most populous state in the U.S.
The University of Texas, part of the Big 12 Conference, had long wanted to create its own network but failed. In 2010, frustrated, it threatened to leave the conference. Although it didn't succeed then, the threat caused significant turmoil—
The other schools in the Big 12 weren't willing to bow to Texas.
So, Nebraska left for the Big Ten, Texas A&M and Missouri joined the SEC, and Colorado went to the Pac-12.
As a result, the Big 12 was left with just two traditional powerhouses—Texas and Oklahoma—and its chances of getting national airtime dwindled.
"All the commotion in the world is for profit, all the hustle and bustle is for gain."
When the Big Ten shattered the balance, the commercialization of the NCAA became unstoppable. Just like in the NFL, NBA, and other professional leagues, the pursuit of profit began reshaping the entire landscape.
And Texas, as always, was at the center of it all, playing a pivotal role in the NCAA's ever-changing history.
As it always has.
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