▁and ▁R iley ▁Smith . ▁Alabama ▁would ▁join ▁the ▁S out he astern ▁Conference ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁winning ▁the ▁conference ' s ▁first ▁championship . ▁Thomas ▁would ▁lead ▁Alabama ▁to ▁two ▁more ▁national ▁champion ships ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁before ▁health ▁issues ▁related ▁to ▁his ▁sm oking ▁hab its ▁forced ▁him ▁to ▁ret ire ▁after ▁a ▁ 1 4 - year ▁ten ure ▁as ▁head ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁program . ▁Alabama ▁did ▁not ▁field ▁a ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁because ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁Thomas ▁led ▁Alabama ▁to ▁a ▁ 1 1 5 – 2 4 – 7 ▁overall ▁record . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁Harold ▁D rew ▁was ▁h ired ▁as ▁the ▁head ▁football ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁Alabama ▁C rim son ▁T ide . ▁In ▁his ▁first ▁year , ▁" Red " ▁D rew ▁led ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁Alabama ▁team ▁to ▁an ▁ ▁record , ▁a ▁ber th ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁Sug ar ▁Bowl , ▁and ▁a ▁number ▁eight ▁ranking ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁AP ▁poll . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁he ▁led ▁Alabama ▁to ▁a ▁victory ▁over ▁Georgia ▁Te ch ▁that ▁The ▁T us cal o osa ▁News ▁called ▁" the ▁ups et ▁of ▁the ▁season ." ▁In ▁November , ▁he ▁led ▁the ▁C rim son ▁T ide ▁to ▁a ▁ 5 5 – 0 ▁victory ▁over ▁A ub urn