Q&A with Tommy Ford, Author of “History Made: The 2020 Alabama National Champion Crimson Tide”

This past fall, Tuscaloosa author Tommy Ford published his 12th book on Alabama football, History Made: The 2020 Alabama National Champion Crimson Tide. We recently caught up with Tommy to talk about his latest accomplishment as well as his longtime career at the University. 

78: Tommy, how did you initially get connected with The University of Alabama?

 TF: I’d been an Alabama fan all my life, but for whatever reason I had never had the opportunity to go to an Alabama football game until I was 15 years old. A friend asked me to go with he and his parents in their motor home to the 1971 Alabama-Vanderbilt game in Nashville. Watching my heroes (especially Johnny Musso) in person just blew me away. I was hooked on Tide football from that point on (although I’d been a fan long before that). (Interesting and funny note: I’m now friends with all those guys I admired in the ‘60s and ‘70s.)

Upon finishing Gadsden High School in 1974, I began my studies at the University. In early 1977 (my junior year), through a rather strange turn of events, I began covering the Alabama swimming team for The Crimson White. Especially unusual was the fact I was a Finance major and had never taken a writing course. During this time, I became close friends with the sports editor, Mark Mayfield, and in April of 1977 he was selected as CW editor. He then chose me as sports editor for the 1977-78 school year. My days with the CW literally changed my life. 

78: You’ve been writing books for several years now. Can you take us through your entire catalog, beginning with your first and ending with your latest, History Made? 

TF: 

·       Bama Under Bear: Alabama’s Family Tides

·       Alabama’s Family Tides

·       The University of Alabama All-Access Football Vault®

·       The Alabama-Auburn Rivalry Football Vault® (co-written with David Housel)

·       Bear Bryant on Leadership (co-written with Pat Williams)

·       Tornado to National Title #14

·       Crimson Domination: The Process Behind Alabama’s 15th National Championship (co-written with Mark Mayfield)

·       A Season to Remember: Faith in the Midst of the Storm (co-written with Carson Tinker)

·       Crimson Mission: Coach Saban & the Tide Silence Critics with 16th National Championship

·       The University of Alabama Football Vault®

·       17 (the story of Alabama’s 2017 national championship)

·       HISTORY MADE (the story of Alabama’s 2020 national championship)

78: How did you get involved with the tabletop editions that commemorate the Crimson Tide’s championship seasons? 

TF: Many years ago, Whitman Publishers created a niche in the publishing industry with what they called “Vault” books. (They’ve since published many of these, and not all are sports related.) In 2007 (before Coach Saban’s first season), they published their first Alabama Vault book, which not only told the history of Alabama football, but included all kinds of souvenirs, ticket stubs, pull-out photos, pennants, etc. Even though Jay Barker’s name was on it as the author, he didn’t write a word of it. Whitman hired a ghost writer to do it all.

Once Coach Saban had been here for a couple of years, Whitman decided to publish an updated Vault book to include his first two seasons. They hired me to write a whole new version of the book, different than what had been written two years earlier. Simultaneously, they asked David Housel and me to write the Alabama-Auburn Rivalry Football Vault, which consisted of stories about 20 of Alabama’s best wins over Auburn and 20 of Auburn’s best wins over Alabama. Both Vaults came out in 2009.

Then, following the 2011 championship, Whitman’s strategy changed a bit. Rather than continuing with updates of the Vault books, they decided to publish a book on just that 2011 championship season. Obviously, the Tuscaloosa tornado was the story of the year, and the team winning the national championship was just icing on the cake. So, this book came out in 2012. 

Then, as you know, the championships just kept coming. After each championship, Whitman would go to the Collegiate Licensing Company and the UA Athletics Department for approval, and once they were approved, Whitman approached me about writing the books, which I did for the 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020 championships. (Note: I also did an update of the Vault book in 2017. And, during 2010-2014, I also wrote Bear Bryant on Leadership with Pat Williams and A Season to Remember with Carson Tinker.)

78: Since you’ve been at the Capstone, Alabama has had two long stretches without a national championship, 1979-92 and 1992-2009. Obviously, bringing the right coach in has helped to overcome those hurdles, but who are some of the other people (even those behind-the-scenes) who should be recognized for Alabama’s success? 

TF: Just to keep it simple, during my working days (not student days) at UA, Gene Stallings and Nick Saban are the two coaches hired who would eventually win national championships. Regarding Coach Stallings’ hiring, I’ve always felt that Paul Bryant Jr. was the one behind the scenes who made it happen. The Bryant family had always had a strong connection with Texas A&M, and Stallings (who had played and coached for Bryant) was probably as Bryant-like as anyone out there. 

Regarding Saban’s hiring, Mal Moore and Dr. Robert Witt were the ones who made it happen. Without Mal’s persistence with Saban and Dr. Witt’s behind-the-scenes work with the trustees, Nick Saban would’ve never come here.

78: What do you enjoy most about putting together the commemorative editions?

TF: Oddly enough, I believe these commemorative editions will be more “readable” 5, 10, 15 years from now than they were when they came out. At the time they’re published, the news is relatively recent. I think they “age” well over time.

78: Alabama has won 6 national titles during the Saban era. What team stands out most to you? 

TF: Until the 2020 season, the 2009 championship was my favorite. As you know it was the first in a while. But more importantly, we played two historic games to get there—our nemesis Florida (and Tebow) in the SEC championship game and blueblood Texas in the Rose Bowl. That Rose Bowl remains my favorite game and definitely my most treasured trip. 

From a start-to-finish season standpoint, though, the 2020 team is my favorite. What they had to overcome with COVID and the all-SEC schedule will never be matched. And to have such great players and a Heisman winner just made the season all the more special.

78: What is it that makes the Alabama football program special? 

TF: We’ve certainly been blessed through the decades with great coaches, great players, great fans, and a great university to call our home. Younger folks may not know about those great teams of the 1920s and early 1930s, but those teams helped lay the foundation for today’s success. Our Nick Saban of today is the Wallace Wade of yesteryear. Our Dr. Robert Witt of just a few years ago is the Dr. Mike Denny of long ago. Our Gene Stallings of the 1990s is the Coach Frank Thomas of the 1930s and 1940s. And for us to have two of the winningest coaches in history – Paul Bryant and Nick Saban – is beyond comprehension. 

And because of these early successes, one generation of fans passed their love of the Tide to the next generation, and they passed it on to the next, and so on. And here we are today, stronger than ever.

78: How do you get a copy of History Made? 

TF: It’s available at the Bryant Museum on campus, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble, and the University Supply Store. It’s also available on Amazon.com and Whitman.com.