A Tale of Two Cultures
by Keegan Shinall
Dawgs OTL Writer/ Bleeds Red and Black
College football has always been about more than playbooks and setting records. Further more, it’s about more than TV contracts and NIL budgets. And to be straight up, there’s even more depth to this game we love than amassing 5 Star recruits and soaking in the victories. This sport is community driven. It’s tradition laden. The love for the game is everything from an excuse to strike up a conversation and a feather in your cap when your team in our case UGA is doing well. The new age NIL era has brought in a less passionate watered down football mentality. And right now our neighbors to the West are quite concerned about the direction of their program. To me this all boils down to holding onto the heart of what has made the greatest teams and success stories in the sport come to life.
While some football programs have become infected by some of the more trendy toxic ideas attached to football as a business, others have doubled down on what has made the best teams ever and the sport in general so great all this time. What’s not going away are these evergreen concepts Kirby Smart has consistently put out as Beacons of light for his team and all of us to attach to. Be it “Better Never Rests, Attack the Day, You’re Either Elite or You’re Not, Fire Passion Energy, Eat Off the Floor, Chop Wood Carry Water, Process Over Results, Burn the Boats, -and whatever I’m forgetting- you get it by now he’s a treasure trove of deeper meaning and soul he brings to help lead Dawgnation. He’s like a walking Hallmark writing department wearing a visor. His messaging is succinct and quite intentional. That’s leadership. Which all brings us to the grander examination.
Simply — sustained success is birthed by culture. The habits, the toughness, the identity a program builds over time- they matter. Right now, two of the sport’s biggest brands tell two very different stories: the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Georgia: The Standard of Toughness
Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has become the blueprint for what effort and toughness look like in today’s game. Georgia’s championship “DNA Traits” are Connection, Toughness, Resiliency, Composure, and as we are all borderline painfully aware by now Fire/Passion/Energy. Kirby might have come back to Athens his 4th time as a UGA DGD and bad ass Defensive Cordinator, but he has truly evolved into a personal development Guru who could hold his own with Tony Robbins and Eric “The Hip Hop Preacher” Thomas. Being the son of a coach, an apostle of the Goat , and a staffer for three hall of fame level coaches- that being Bobby Bowden, Mark Richt, and Jim Donnan - Kirby has had a lifetime to soak up the “what it takes” artifacts . This is shown by how during his tenure our Bulldogs don’t just show up on Saturdays — they impose their will. Every snap is layered with discipline, physicality, and a sense of purpose. You see it in how they tackle, how they block, how they celebrate together.
Smart has built a culture that doesn’t need external hype to get motivated. It’s an internal engine. We weed out players that don’t share this philosophy from the get. We’re not trying to bring you in with fun trinkets . Winning is the most fun thing you can do as a football player. Walk into Athens on a Saturday, and you feel it: a team that knows who it is and what it stands for.
Alabama: Life After the Architect
Then there’s Alabama. For nearly two decades, Nick Saban didn’t just coach a team — he built a machine. His culture was ruthless, detail-driven, and utterly consistent. It might be the high water mark for some time to come. Now that he’s gone, the Tide are discovering the truth every powerhouse faces when a legendary coach steps away: culture doesn’t run on autopilot.
Right now this program looks rudderless. Like a ship lost at sea the fans, players, and coaches a like are just waiting on a rescue. I’m picturing Wilson and Castaway as I write this. Think I’m making too much of 4 losses to unranked opponents? A number Kalen DeBoer reached in two seasons that took Nick Sabin 230 games and his entire tenure at Bama.
The on-field product reflects these results. Effort and toughness, once Alabama’s trademark, now feel inconsistent and sometimes non existent. The players look like they’re still waiting for someone to flip the switch for them, instead of owning the identity themselves. Without Saban, the Tide are searching for who they want to be — and the contrast with Georgia’s “Fire, Passion, and Energy” approach that has permeated Kirby’s entire tenure only makes that Mellow Yellow locker room in Tuscaloosa look quite unflattering. I haven’t seen this much pouting and poor attitude from an Alabama team literally in 20 years. This isn’t Alabama Football. Or if it is their new normal. Kalen DeBoer might be looking at job applications next July.
Two Programs, Two Futures
The story here isn’t just about wins and losses. It’s about what happens when culture is either reinforced or lost. Georgia has doubled down on its identity and is reaping the rewards. Alabama is navigating uncharted waters, where talent alone doesn’t guarantee dominance. Georgia had a down year last year and won the SEC. Alabama came into last year ranked top 5 preseason with the second highest blue chip ratio at 88 percent only behind Ohio State who won the National Title by the way . This year they have the highest blue chip ratio of any team according to CBS Sports. They’re already 0-1 from losing to an unranked Florida State. Now they face a slate of games including some of the best Qb’s in the nation. I wouldn’t have minded them being undefeated by the time they get to Athens. That would just mean more glory for UGA.
A tale of two cultures is unfolding in front of our eyes: one program ascending with clarity and conviction, the other trying to remember what it means to be great. Sure, the talent is there. However, we’ve all heard the axiom “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard”. Who knows- maybe Bama decides to turn it on, work real hard one week of practice, and once again best Georgia on the road.
The thing is- their schedule looks unyielding this year. It will take more than a one off performance. For their talent to work hard- it will take a sustained culture to have a successful season. Kalen DeBoer has the Qb he wanted, oh yea and two other 5 Star Qbs, oh yea - and the OC he was successful with previously.. and oh yea - all while touting a roster with the highest blue chip ratio in the sport of college football. But what seems to be lacking right this instance is CULTURE. And in college football, culture isn’t just part of the game. It IS the game!
Go Dawgs.
