Throwback Thursday: 1961, Bear Bryant's First National Championship

When Paul W. “Bear” Bryant was hired in 1958, he told both the incoming recruits and the holdovers from the previous teams – well, those who survived his brutal offseason-conditioning program – that if they weren’t there to win a national championship, they were in the wrong place.

During his first three seasons, Alabama produced no championships and no All-Americans, but in 1961 the Crimson Tide was coming off an 8-1-2 season, had key players returning, and had increased capacity at Denny Stadium by 12,000 to 43,000.

Led by quarterback Pat Trammell, linebacker/center Lee Roy Jordan and lineman Billy Neighbors, Alabama simply destroyed the competition, beginning with a 32-6 victory at Georgia. Opponents scored 25 points the entire season, compared to 297 for the Tide, with North Carolina State, led by quarterback Roman Gabriel, managing to score the most points, seven.

“They play like it is a sin to give up a point,” Bryant commented.

After Tennessee managed a field goal in a 34-3 loss, Alabama didn’t yield another point during its five final games of the regular season, recording shutouts against Houston, Mississippi State, Richmond, Georgia Tech and Auburn.

“I don’t know if that’s a great team, but they most certainly were great against us,” Auburn coach Shug Jordan said after the 34-0 loss. “I don’t guess anybody has ever hit us that hard.”

After the Georgia Tech victory, Alabama was ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll for the first time that season, which it would maintain through a 10-3 victory against Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl for the national championship.

“Regardless of who was coaching them, they still would have been a great team,” said Bryant, who was also named national coach of the year for the first time. “I said early in the season that they were the nicest, even the sissyist bunch I’d ever had. I think they read it, because later on they got unfriendly.”

Fullback Mike Fracchia was named the most valuable player of Alabama’s first victory at the Sugar Bowl in three attempts. Neighbors was a unanimous All-American selection, the Crimson Tide’s first since 1954. Jordan and Trammell were second-team picks, in addition to All-SEC selections along with Fracchia.

“He can’t run, he can’t pass and he can’t kick,” Bryant said about Trammell. “All he can do is beat you.”

However, the title did have one lingering negative consequence, due to linebacker Darwin Holt catching Georgia Tech quarterback Emile Granning with an elbow on a late hit, fracturing his jaw. A year later, Alabama fans were dreaming of back-to-back titles until November 17, when the inspired Yellow Jackets pulled out a hard-hitting 7-6 victory after Alabama came inches short of completing a two-point conversion.

The No. 5 Tide finished 10-1, with Jordan, a unanimous All-American who finished fourth in Heisman Trophy balloting, recording 30 tackles against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, a 17-0 victory. Fifteen seniors finished their careers after going 29-2-2 during their last three seasons.

1961 11-0, national champions, SEC champions

Date, Opponent, Location, Score

Sept. 23: Georgia, Athens, W 32-6

Sept. 30: Tulane, Mobile, W 9-0

Oct. 7: Vanderbilt, Nashville, W 35-6

Oct. 14: North Carolina State, Tuscaloosa, W 26-7

Oct. 21: Tennessee, Birmingham, W 34-3

Oct. 28: Houston, Houston, W 17-0

Nov. 4: Mississippi State, Tuscaloosa, W 24-0

Nov. 11: Richmond, Tuscaloosa, W 66-0

Nov. 18: Georgia Tech, Birmingham, W 10-0

Dec. 2: Auburn, Birmingham, W 34-0

Jan. 1, 1962: Arkansas, Sugar Bowl, W 10-3

Total points: 297-25

Team captains

Pat Trammell, Billy Neighbors

Rankings

Preseason No. 3; Postseason No. 1.

All-American

First team _ Billy Neighbors, defensive tackle. Second team _ Lee Roy Jordan, center; Pat Trammell, quarterback. Academic _ Tommy Brooker, end; Pat Trammell, quarterback.

All-SEC

First-team selections: Mike Fracchia, back; Lee Roy Jordan, center; Billy Neighbors, guard; Pat Trammell, quarterback.

Statistical leaders

Rushing _ Mike Fracchia (652 yards, 130 carries)

Passing _ Pat Trammell (75 of 133, 1,035 yards)

Receiving _ Richard Williamson (11 catches, 206 yards).

Some of this post originated from "100 Things Crimson tide Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die," published by Triumph Books