▁co ached ▁by ▁K elle y ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁Bul ly ▁Van ▁de ▁Gra aff ▁who ▁punt ed , ▁k icked , ▁and ▁played ▁tack le , ▁was ▁Alabama ' s ▁first ▁All - American ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 . ▁ ▁Bul ly ' s ▁brothers ▁Ad rian ▁and ▁H arg ro ve ▁were ▁also ▁prominent ▁Alabama ▁football ▁players ▁in ▁their ▁day . ▁Their ▁younger ▁brother ▁was ▁Robert ▁J . ▁Van ▁de ▁Gra aff , ▁invent or ▁of ▁the ▁Van ▁de ▁Gra aff ▁generator ▁which ▁produces ▁high ▁volt ages . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁Thomas ▁K elle y ▁co ached ▁only ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁season ▁( 4 – 0 ) ▁before ▁he ▁came ▁down ▁with ▁ty ph oid ▁fe ver . ▁Athlet ic ▁director ▁B . ▁L . ▁No oj in ▁and ▁former ▁Alabama ▁quarter back ▁Far ley ▁Mo ody ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁head ▁co aching ▁duties ▁for ▁the ▁remaining ▁four ▁games ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁The ▁ 2 – 2 ▁mark ▁achieved ▁in ▁Kelly ' s ▁absence ▁is ▁still ▁cred ited ▁to ▁his ▁record ▁at ▁Alabama ▁of ▁ 1 7 – 7 – 1 . ▁Tr am ▁S essions ▁made ▁the ▁composite ▁All - S ou thern ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁The ▁school ▁did ▁not ▁field ▁a ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁because ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁but ▁res umed ▁play ▁once ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁under