Former head coach Jim Mora Jr. can now tell the story with a smile, but you know that he wasn't laughing at the time.
When Patrick Surtain II was considered a top-end recruit, Mora was at UCLA and thought he might have a good chance at landing him with the Bruins. The coach already had a relationship with the family and Los Angeles is obviously a big-time destination city.
That is until he visited Surtain and saw what he was up against, including Alabama.
"We didn't have a chance with this guy," the Sports Illustrated analyst said.
Nick Saban has been so successful in not only winning championships, but preparing players for the next level that former pro players are actively sending their sons to play for the Crimson Tide.
There's no higher compliment, and its regardless of the position.
The Position U moniker is a popular distinction that fans like to use in boasting about their team (even when it's not true) and schools will use to help sell their program.
"Hey, do you want to play for RBU?" is a powerful pitch, especially when Alabama is the only school to have any non-quarterback Heisman Trophy winners since 2005.
Last year, Sports Illustrated put together its listing of the modern ‘U’ for each position group in college football, by crunching 10 years of data on which schools put players in the NFL, and, here's the key, what those players accomplished at the next level.
Here's how things look a year later, after Alabama won another national championship:
Quarterbacks: Oklahoma was the pick last year as the Sooners have had three No. 1 overall picks (Sam Bradford in 2010, Baker Mayfield in 2018 and Kyler Murray in 2019), and all three won the Heisman Trophy. If there's a knock on the Sooners it's that they recently went through a stretch in which three straight starters were all transfers, including Jalen Hurts after he graduated from Alabama. With the Crimson Tide likely on the verge of having three starting quarterbacks in the NFL (Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts and soon Mac Jones), and is regularly landing top prospects at the nation, the gap is closing.
Running backs: Alabama had 10 running backs drafted over the previous decade and Najee Harris is about to enter the mix. It's still Running Back U.
Wide receivers: Thanks primarily to DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson was the pick last year over Ohio State and LSU, but this one is definitely up for grabs. Julio Jones, Amari Cooper and Calvin Ridley have been joined by Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy in the first-round draft club, with DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle on deck.
"He’s awesome," Mora said about Waddle. "When you’re, I guess, like the No. 3, he’s like the underdog almost. This guy’s special and I love the way he plays the game. He’s like Pac-man. He’s like a joystick with the way he can change direction, make plays, get the ball, the double moves, the stutter-and-go, his foot quickness in and out of breaks, his toughness, his run after the catch, his physicality. All of those things make him special. It was so much fun to watch that offense, obviously, but just to figure out ‘Who’s got the ball now?’
"People talk about the wide receivers who have come out of Oklahoma recently, but what about the amazing receivers that come out of Alabama?"
With Smith winning the Heisman, yes, Alabama can stake a strong claim at being Wide Receiver U.
Tight ends: Stanford edged out the competition a year ago, but this one is wide open. It's also the only position in which Alabama hasn't had a first-team All-American during the Saban era (O.J. Howard was by Pro Football Focus, which isn't used by the NCAA toward unanimous and consensus status, and was a third-team selection by the Associated Press).
Offensive line: Based on the criteria used, Sports Illustrated gave the nod to Notre Dame over Wisconsin last year because the Fighting Irish had put 10 offensive linemen into the NFL over the previous decade with three named All-Pro. However, if one goes by collegiate accomplishments (see below), the Crimson Tide is the clear choice as Offensive Line U.
Defensive line: No program consistently produces outstanding interior defensive linemen like Crimson Tide, and this year Christian Barmore only adds to that reputation. Alabama is clearly Defensive Line U, and that isn't about to change under Saban.
Linebackers: Alabama was tabbed Linebacker U last year and deservingly so. Even though the Crimson Tide probably won't have a first-round selection at the position this season, it has numerous candidates on the active roster led by Will Anderson Jr. and Christian Harris.
Defensive backs: LSU was the choice last year, although Sports Illustrated made it clear that Alabama would be Safety U had it split the positions. The Tigers produced four All-Pro players since 2010 (Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu, Jamal Adams and Tre’Davious White), but the Crimson Tide had more first-round picks and is about to add to it as Patrick Surtain II could be the first defensive player selected in the draft. If anything, this one looks like a push.
Sports Illustrated didn't name a Special Team U, but Alabama could make a claim at being Long Snapper U.
Overall, that's six position groups that Alabama can claim to be the modern U as the best in college football.
It's something that you'll never see again.
More Moore please ...
There was very little fanfare or public celebration when the Alabama offensive linemen received their versions of the Joe Moore Award for the most outstanding offensive line unit that annually recognizes the toughest, most physical group in the country.
The only national position award in college football, Nick Saban called it his favorite this past year even though Crimson Tide players won the Heisman Trophy, Doak Walker Award, the Biletnikoff Award, the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the Manning Award, the Paul Hornung Award and the program's first Davey O'Brien Award.
We're not forgetting the Outland Trophy (best interior lineman) or the Rimington Award (best center). it's just that they went to guys who also won the Moore: Alex Leatherwood and Landon Dickerson, respectively.
Alabama is the first repeat winner of the award, the Crimson Tide also winning the inaugural honor in 2015.
"Joe Moore was a legendary offensive line coach at Pitt and Notre Dame and a good friend of mine years back," Saban said back then. "Some of his former players wanted to recognize the offensive line that they thought did the most for their team.
"Our players are really excited and I was excited because this is a group award. Most of the awards that people get are for individual performances. None of them would be possible if it wasn't for their teammates and their team. Most of our guys always recognize that fact when they accept awards. But this one was especially fulfilling to me to see the guys that get very little credit get their name in the paper, don't get to score touchdowns, get recognized for something that they accomplished."
Here's hoping that college football figures out a way to adds awards like this one, based more on group accomplishments and recognizing the game's unheralded players.
But maybe in the future the awards presentation will be in a place that's a little more fitting for offensive linemen, like at their favorite restaurant.
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