Take this with a humongous grain of salt, but today's Birmingham News is reporting that Shula was never allowed to present a plan to right the ship at Alabama.
Shula never got a chance to present that plan to Alabama Athletics Director Mal Moore or President Robert Witt before he was fired.
It wouldn't have changed Alabama's decision if Shula had presented his plan to Moore or Witt.
"I know Mike's ideas for change," said Mark Rodgers, a Miami attorney who represents Shula. "I think he'd put together some very constructive changes. I know first hand that Mike never had the opportunity to share those ideas with the athletic director or university president."
First, the authors of the piece are Ray Melick and Kevin Scarbinsky, two noted Shula apologists and all around stumbling morons, and second, their source is Shula's attorney. As I mentioned yesterday, it's possible that the decision was made after the State loss and a successor was contacted and offered during the season. But I still find it highly unlikely that Shula wouldn't have been allowed to plea his case before getting the axe.