Redshirt freshman tight end Preston Dial is the subject of an article in the Mobile Register.
Dial, the Mobile native who chose the Tide over Florida State, LSU, and others, is explicit in the fact that his high school practices were harder than those he encountered once he arrived at Alabama.
The exact quote:
"After choosing Alabama over Florida State during his recruitment, Dial arrived to find that college practices weren't as tough as what he was doing in Mobile."
Granted, UMS Wright is a fine high school program, and one of the best in the state, but the truth is that any legitimate college program should be more involved and more demanding than anything you should find in high school football.
That's not too shocking, of course, but very insightful.
Bottom line, Mike Shula was just not doing what was needed to compete in the SEC.