The situation at Alabama is so fragile right now that it demands the attention of someone who knows and believes in the Alabama way, which new coach Mike Shula certainly does.

	Quarterback Brodie Croyle will learn a lot from former NFL QB coach Mike Shula.

He understands what it is like to play there, as well as the expectations and demands placed on the entire program. Shula is a young, enthusiastic guy with Crimson bloodlines, someone the players can trust and believe in.

And the bottom line is, it's the players who have suffered the most over the last few years. The Alabama program is now under sanctions resulting from past transgressions, and the kids are the ones feeling the sting.

A lot of people scratched their heads and said "Hmm..." when Mike Price was hired, not because he is not a fabulous coach, but because things are different in Tuscaloosa the same way they are in Lincoln, Neb., or Green Bay, Wis.

Price obviously didn't realize how different. And while everyone is focusing his sophomoric behavior and pleas for a second chance (which to me was ludicrous, since a 60-year old man making over $1 million should know what is at stake), the kids on the team were nearly forgotten.

They will benefit from all the things Shula brings to the table off the field, but they will also be in a tough spot on the field. Shula will have to install a new offense in fall camp, which is limited by the NCAA in terms of practice hours, and if this team goes .500 it ought to get some sort of citation. That's not to say they won't, but it's going to be an uphill battle.

Unless you have your head in the sand, though, you know Shula will undoubtedly go to Brodie Croyle and the rest of the team leaders with some of his gameplan with the hope they can work on it during summer sessions.

The coaching staff won't be allowed to supervise, but the ballboys and strength coach can be there and the players can work on things like pass patterns, timing and terminology. They won't go into fall practice blind, but there will still be plenty of work to do.

Sometimes simplicity can be a good thing, though. So many coaches think they are geniuses and try to outsmart each other, but proper execution of the basic fundamentals is often the most effective approach. Alabama has the athletes, and a few great offensive plays coupled with terrific effort on defense will at least give the Tide a chance.

And Croyle has to be licking his chops at the prospect of playing for a coach who tutored NFL quarterbacks. He was surely pleased when Price was hired and brought in the spread offense, and Shula knows that game as well after 15 years around NFL offenses.

And while some may point to the fact that Shula has no head-coaching experience, his NFL ties help him tremendously.

We've seen the impact pro coaches can have on the college game in places like Virginia and USC, where Al Groh and Pete Carroll are able to tell players and recruits, "Hey, I coached in the pros and I know what it takes to make you an NFL player."

When Shula tells this team what to do and how he can do to help them, they will eat it up.

At the end of the day, all this will finally add up to the Tide players being the ones who win. They have a new coach who is young, energetic and loves and understands the Alabama way, and they can believe in what they will be taught about football and life.

Trev Alberts is a college football analyst for ESPN and contributes a weekly column to ESPN.com during the season.