1964 Alabama

For those of you who might watch the Alabama vs. Florida State game in Jacksonville, an interesting sidebar to the game is the number obvious crossovers between the schools.

I wrote about this for Tuesday's edition of the Tuscaloosa News, and those familiar with the schools know about the three obvious ties:

- Former Alabama standout Cecil "Hootie" Ingram became FSU's athletic director.

- So did Crimson Tide All-American Vaughn Mancha.

- Bobby Bowden always dreamed of playing quarterback at Alabama, and then coaching in Tuscaloosa. It almost happened about 20 years ago.

Now check out the rest of the coaching staffs:

- FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher had the same position with Nick Saban at LSU (2000-04).
- Alabama assistant head coach and secondary coach Kirby Smart was a graduate assistant coach at Florida State in 2002-3.
- Seminoles assistant head coach and offensive line coach Rick Trickett had the same position with Saban at LSU in 2000. His son, Travis, is currently a graduate assistant at Alabama.
- Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews was a football and baseball player on the Capstone in the 1960s, and won two national championships under Bryant.
- Tide assistant head coach and offensive line coach Joe Pendry was on Bowden’s staff from 1970-74 as a graduate assistant, freshman coach, wide receivers coach and offensive line coach. After Bowden left for Florida State in 1976, Pendry returned for a two-year stint as offensive coordinator. They’ve opposed each other only once, when Pendry was at Pitt in 1978 (the Panthers won 7-3).
- Seminoles defensive ends coach and special teams coordinator Jody Allen was on Ray Perkins’ staff here for three seasons. He was a graduate assistant in 1984-85 before being named receivers coach in 1986.
- Tide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Curt Cignetti worked for Chuck Amato at North Carolina State from 2000-06. Amato is Bowden’s executive head coach and linebacker’s coach.
- FSU wide receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey was a graduate assistant at LSU in 2003.

College football. It's a small world.

Alabama and Florida State haven't played in 33 years, so I don't have a photo, but here's a good one from the 1964 Iron Bowl, when three Alabama players converged on Auburn’s punter. The Crimson Tide won 21-14, and thanks to No. 1 Notre Dame’s 20-17 loss to Southern California secured the national championship. Courtesy of the Paul W. Bryant Museum.