▁at ▁Alabama ▁for ▁a ▁long ▁time ▁as ▁the ▁head ▁coach . ▁However , ▁he ▁was ▁on ▁far ▁less ▁secure ▁ground ▁than ▁it ▁seemed ▁due ▁to ▁t ensions ▁within ▁the ▁athlet ic ▁department ▁and ▁three ▁straight ▁losses ▁against ▁arch - rival ▁A ub urn . ▁Mat ters ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁head ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁when ▁Alabama ▁offered ▁him ▁a ▁new ▁contract ▁that , ▁among ▁other ▁things , ▁stri pped ▁him ▁of ▁his ▁power ▁to ▁h ire ▁and ▁fire ▁his ▁own ▁staff . ▁Cur ry ▁respond ed ▁by ▁accepting ▁an ▁offer ▁to ▁become ▁head ▁coach ▁at ▁Kentucky . ▁This ▁move ▁shock ed ▁the ▁college ▁football ▁world . ▁Cur ry ▁later ▁was ▁the ▁head ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁Georgia ▁State ▁Pan thers . ▁ ▁Gene ▁St all ings ▁era ▁( 1 9 9 0 – 1 9 9 6 ) ▁ ▁Alabama ▁sought ▁someone ▁with ▁t ies ▁to ▁Bear ▁Bry ant ▁by ▁h iring ▁Gene ▁St all ings , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁recently ▁fired ▁as ▁head ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁Phoenix ▁Card inals . ▁St all ings ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁J unction ▁Boys , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁players ▁who ▁trained ▁under ▁Bry ant ▁during ▁his ▁ten ure ▁at ▁Texas ▁A & M . ▁As ▁Head ▁Co ach ▁of ▁Texas ▁A & M , ▁St all ings ▁had ▁led ▁the ▁A gg ies ▁to ▁a ▁ 2 0 – 1 6 ▁victory ▁over ▁Bry ant ' s ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁Cot