Do not underestimate anything about Alabama or Mr. Saban. There are plenty of good things about Alabama the state, and the university.
In my opinion, Alabama is the best football-only school right now and Saban is the best coach
BUT...
It is unapologetically a football factory. If you don't get with the program or fit-in you will be chewed-up and spit out. One year scholarships is what most kids are guaranteed. Put your head down, do exactly what you are told, and you will likely be fine if you stay healthy. If you thrive, you will be considered among the cream of the crop by pro scouts based on Saban's reputation.
If you stay long enough and chose to spend your time well, you can get a decent degree from a decent school, but that is really an
afterthought. It's not the $200,000 dollar education that normal students compete for, but its fine. That's all well and good if you are headed to the NFL, but its football: people get hurt, struggle with injuries, play 2 years in the league. Having a diploma from an elite college is a big deal in life, and Alabama cannot offer that. Still, a lot of 5-star recruits just don't care.
Because it is a Southern football factory there are going to be a large number of kids who would not be in college but for football. Having a high percentage of your friends being unprepared for college makes focusing on school much harder. However, the discipline is pretty decent within--thanks to Saban--so you probably aren't going to get in real trouble like you might at Auburn or FSU.
Alabama is culturally Southern in every sense of the word: Protestant, a more socially conservative. If you are an Evangelical Portestant you are going to find a lot of like-minded people (many of our more religious recruits are Protestant, not Catholic, and may even be slightly suspicious of Catholics--although ND does a great job open people's eyes in that regard). You also will find a lot of familiar people if you come from the country or a really small town. Some people fit into that mix and others really don't at all. No doubt, they are going to introduce you to Barrett Jones and a couple of other kids that would thrive anywhere, but the culture still is what it is.
Tuscaloosa is not close to any big, fun cities, although it provides adequte nightlife for poor college kids who just want to act stupid with a beer in their hand and lots of girls around. If you are desperate you can get to Birmingham, Gulf Port,New Orleans, Nashville, or Atlanta.
In short, it is the perfect school for some kids (think A.J. McCarron), but lots of kids walk away thinking, "NOT FOR ME." think Ishaq Williams). The fact is USC, ND, and Alabama really don't have a lot in common. And it is easy to understand why kids pick one over the other.
