Daily Dose of Crimson Tide: Alabama's First Coach, E.B. Beaumont

E.B. Beaumont was Alabama’s first coach, and thus the first person to get fired from the job.

It also didn't take long.

When William G. Little organized the first football team on the Capstone in 1892, he was named the first captain, with Beaumont, who has become became somewhat familiar with the sport at the University of Pennsylvania, named coach (although that may mean he had seen the game played) – which was a little unusual because at the time many of the coaches were also players.

Beaumont lasted one season, and was replaced by Eli Abbott.

Said the Corolla in its first year as Alabama’s official yearbook: “We were unfortunate in securing a coach. After keeping him for a short time, we found that his knowledge of the game was very limited. We therefore got rid of him.”

In a way, that sentiment still exists in some form today.

Meanwhile, the Alabama coaching position has come a long ways over the years, although even Nick Saban had a first head-coaching job. His was at Toledo.

Alabama Head Coaches

E.B. Beaumont, 1892, 2-2

Eli Abbott 1893-95, 1902, 7-12

Otto Wagonhurst 1896, 2-1

Allen McCants, 1897, 1-0

W.A. Martin, 1899, 3-1

M.Griffin, 1900, 2-3

M.H. Harvey, 1901, 2-1-2

W.B. Blount, 1903-04, 10-7

Jack Leavenworth, 1905, 6-4

J.W.H. Pollard, 1906-09, 20-4-5

Guy Lowman, 1910, 4-4-0

D.V. Graves, 1911-14, 21-12-3

Thomas Kelly, 1915-17, 17-7-1

Xen C. Scott, 1919-22, 29-9-3

Wallace Wade, 1923-30, 61-13-3

Frank Thomas, 1931-46, 115-24-7

Harold "Red" Drew, 1947-54, 54-29-7

J.B. Whitworth, 1955-57, 4-24-2

Paul W. “Bear” Bryant 1958-82, 232-46-9

Ray Perkins, 1983-86, 32-15-1

Bill Curry, 1987-89, 26-10-0

Gene Stallings, 1990-96, 62-25-0-x

Mike DuBose, 1997-2000, 24-23-0

Dennis Franchione, 2001-02, 17-8

Mike Price, 2003, 0-0

Mike Shula, 2003-06, 26-23

Joe Kines (interim), 2006, 0-1

Nick Saban, 2007-?