Coach Red Drew returned to Tuscaloosa from Ole Miss as Bama's new head coach. While his first year was considered (by Bama standards) somewhat dissapointing with an 8-3 record, Harry Gilmer capped off his career at the Capstone becoming the Crimson Tide's all time leader in rushing, passing, punt returns, kickoff returns and interceptions. The 1948 season was less impressive but it did renew the rivalry between arch-rival Auburn that had remained dormant since 1907. Alabama's 55-0 romp over the Tigers of Auburn ended the season on a high note despite their 6-4-1 record. Bama had ended the decade of the 1940s with a mark of 66-23-4.
Alabama opened the new decade with a 9-2 record. Razor thin losses to Vandy and Tennessee damaged an otherwise perfect season. The Tide did end the season ranked #16 in the AP Poll but no bowl came knocking on the door. Despite the Tide's dissapointment, quarterback Ed Salem was elected as All-American. Also, a great individual performance by sophmore sensation Bobby Marlow was turned in as he rushed for 180 yards and 4 touchdowns against rival Georgia Tech. Later, legendary coaches Bobby Dodd of Tech and Shug Jordan of Auburn called Marlow, "the best back he'd ever coached against."
The season of '51 was another dissapointment but it did mark an historical event in Tide history. The first televised game of Alabama occured against the Volunteers of Tennessee on October 20th at Birmingham's Legion Field. The Vols embarrassed the Tide 27-13 in front of a national audience but it did mark the beginning of the "Third Saturday in October" on TV that now, the whole nation could witness. Things were again rough for the Tide the following year but the following year, 1953, offered a few memorable moments. Despite having 3 ties (the 2 point conversion hadn't been implimented) Bama clinched the SEC title which ensured an invitation to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. While Bama lost, the game wasn't remembered so much as the Temple Owls beating the Tide 28-6, but for Tommy Lewis' famous come-off-the-bench tackle of Dickey Moegle. Lewis' fabled explination of why he made the tackle was simply, "I'm just too full of Bama."
The 1954 season marked an end to Red Drew's career as Alabama head coach. This season was another dissapointment as Bama concluded the season with a 4-5-2 record. Drew ended his reign in Tuscaloosa with a 55-29-7 record.
The Tide faithful were hopeful when JB "Ears" Whitworth took over at Bama. All hopes, however, were quickly smashed as Whitworth's first team went a dismal 0-10. The only highlight of this forgettable season was when Bart Starr, then a backup QB, threw 55 out of 96 passes for 587 yards on the season.
His performance, despite being a backup on a winless team, caught the eye of the Green Bay Packers who later signed Starr and the rest is NFL history. The next two seasons were just as forgettable, both ending with identical 2-7-1 records. Sometime in early October 1957, the decision was rendered to change coaches at Alabama. The Alabama program was in a state of dispair which hurt the pride of the Crimson Tide faithful to see their once proud team in such a predicament. In early December it was offically announced that Paul Bryant would be leaving Texas A&M and returning to Tuscaloosa as head coach and athletic director.
