0 0 7 , ▁S aban ▁officially ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁Dol ph ins ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁head ▁coach ▁of ▁the ▁C rim son ▁T ide . ▁At ▁that ▁time ▁he ▁signed ▁an ▁eight - year ▁contract ▁worth ▁a ▁guaranteed ▁$ 3 2 ▁million ▁to ▁coach ▁Alabama . ▁ ▁First ▁season ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁h iring , ▁S aban ▁worked ▁to ▁h ire ▁his ▁first ▁staff ▁and ▁complete ▁his ▁first ▁rec ruit ing ▁class ▁with ▁the ▁C rim son ▁T ide . ▁His ▁staff ▁did ▁not ▁include ▁any ▁of ▁Sh ula ' s ▁former ▁staff , ▁and ▁Kevin ▁Ste ele ▁was ▁h ired ▁as ▁def ensive ▁coordin ator ▁and ▁Major ▁Apple white ▁as ▁off ensive ▁coordin ator . ▁On ▁February ▁ 7 , ▁he ▁land ed ▁his ▁first ▁rec ruit ing ▁class ▁that ▁was ▁highly ▁ranked ▁by ▁the ▁major ▁rec ruit ing ▁services ▁in ▁spite ▁of ▁having ▁just ▁over ▁a ▁month ▁to ▁complete ▁it . ▁Ant icip ation ▁for ▁his ▁first ▁season ▁continued ▁to ▁build ▁through ▁his ▁first ▁spring ▁practices , ▁and ▁reached ▁its ▁peak ▁when ▁an ▁overflow ▁crowd ▁of ▁ 9 2 , 1 3 8 ▁attended ▁the ▁A - Day ▁spring ▁game ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁S aban ' s ▁debut ▁as ▁head ▁coach , ▁the ▁C rim son ▁T ide ▁defeated ▁ ▁for ▁his ▁first ▁win ▁at ▁Alabama . ▁They ▁followed ▁that ▁victory ▁with ▁his ▁first ▁road ▁win ▁at ▁V ander b ilt ▁and ▁his ▁first ▁win ▁over ▁a ▁ranked ▁oppon ent ▁against ▁No . ▁