▁once ▁said ▁if ▁he ▁retired ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁" pro bably ▁cro ak ▁in ▁a ▁week " ▁and ▁said , ▁" I ▁imagine ▁I ' d ▁go ▁straight ▁to ▁the ▁gra vey ard ." ▁Four ▁weeks ▁after ▁co aching ▁his ▁final ▁game , ▁Bear ▁Bry ant ▁died ▁of ▁a ▁heart ▁attack ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁ ▁Ray ▁Per kins ▁era ▁( 1 9 8 3 – 1 9 8 6 ) ▁Form er ▁New ▁York ▁Gi ants ▁head ▁coach ▁Ray ▁Per kins ▁replaced ▁Bry ant , ▁under ▁whom ▁he ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁In ▁his ▁first ▁season ▁head ▁coach , ▁Alabama ▁finished ▁the ▁regular ▁season ▁at ▁ 7 – 4 , ▁just ▁as ▁it ▁had ▁done ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁year . ▁In ▁the ▁Sun ▁Bowl , ▁Alabama ▁ups et ▁the ▁# 5 - rank ed ▁SM U ▁Must angs ▁ 2 8 – 7 . ▁His ▁second ▁season ▁was ▁far ▁less ▁successful , ▁as ▁Alabama ▁end ured ▁its ▁first ▁losing ▁season ▁in ▁ 2 8   year s ▁with ▁a ▁ 5 – 6 ▁record , ▁failing ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁a ▁bow l ▁game . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁the ▁team ▁f ared ▁much ▁better ▁than ▁the ▁previous ▁season , ▁finishing ▁with ▁a ▁ 9 – 2 – 1 ▁record . ▁Following ▁a ▁dram atic ▁victory ▁over ▁A ub urn , ▁the ▁T ide ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁defeat ▁Southern ▁California ▁in ▁the ▁Alo ha