TURNING TIDE YEARS AFTER BEAR BRYANT'S REIGN, 'BAMA BRACES FOR NEW WAVE WITH FRANCHIONE.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

New Alabama football coach Dennis Franchione could realistically double the team's win total from last year, beat in-state rival Auburn, take the Crimson Tide to a bowl game and still be absolutely miserable.

Franchione's credentials suggest he is the man to revive this once-powerful program, but his happiness will depend largely on how he is accepted by the Crimson Tide faithful, as well as the outcome of an NCAA investigation that could cripple the team.

The Crimson Tide started last year ranked No. 3 in the country, but the flaws of coach Mike DuBose and staff were exposed in a 3-8 season that necessitated a complete housecleaning.

Franchione's hiring lifted eyebrows in the South because Alabama is famous for its loyalty to legendary former coach Bear Bryant, and Franchione is an outsider. Three of the previous four coaches hired after Bryant's 1983 retirement either played or coached under Bryant.

The other, Bill Curry, quit under duress after three years, 26 victories, 10 losses and one brick thrown through his office window by an overzealous fan.

Franchione built TCU into a nationally recognized program, but he's never seen anything such as Alabama, where football reigns supreme.

``(The attention) was about the same at Pittsburg State,'' said a joking Franchione, referring to the small school in Kansas where he coached 1985-89. ``It's the same process. I still have to coach football. If I do those things, everything else will fall in place.

``Everything is more magnified. Our fans are very passionate and interested in anything they can learn about Crimson Tide football. You have to do a great job of time management, keep priorities in line of taking care of your football team first.''

These days, however, Franchione's focus is divided as he prepares for Saturday's season opener against UCLA. DuBose's legacy is an NCAA investigation into allegations that a Memphis high school coach was paid $200,000 in 1999 to deliver a player to Alabama.

The school awaits an official letter of inquiry, which could arrive any day, and will likely have to appear before the NCAA Committee of Infractions in February, around the date of signing day for recruits.

So the cloud of investigation will hang over the program and no doubt impact Franchione's recruiting efforts this fall. A worst-case scenario would likely have the Crimson Tide banned from bowl games for an undetermined number of years.

``It really isn't a concern because it's nothing that we can control,'' middle linebacker Victor Ellis said. ``Regardless of what happens, we all want to win games. Right now that is the only thing on our minds.''

Ellis and wide receiver Freddie Milons are both seniors, team leaders who have bought into the no-nonsense style that took the 50-year-old Franchione to bowl games in his three seasons at TCU (1998-2000).

``One of the main things (Franchione) brings is trust,'' Milons said. ``He is full of enthusiasm and wants us to be a family.''

Although DuBose took criticism for being lax and playing favorites with certain players, Franchione has earned his players' respect early as he tries to erase memories of the program's worst season since 1957.

One of Franchione's first moves was to introduce a 181-page player-policy manual that includes strict rules for class attendance and effort in practice.

After a practice last week, Franchione made his quarterbacks do a drill called ``LOE,'' which stands for Lack Of Effort.

``I have become known as an organized, detailed kind of guy, I guess,'' Franchione said. ``I want (the players) to know what my expectations are. I want them to have a very clear understanding of the vision and the direction and the mission that we will have with this program.

``I always feel like if I am organized, these guys can get a lot done. If I'm not organized, I'm going to slow them down and sooner or later it's going to affect the football team. I work very hard at that.''

Alabama is ranked No. 25 this season, a nod to the team's ability and the respect held for Franchione.

The program still commands attention, even after last year's debacle and several unsettled positions, including quarterback, where Tyler Watts and Andrew Zow are battling for playing time.

``They did feel bad about last season,'' Franchione said. ``They were hungry for direction and those kinds of things we brought to the table. They don't want to go through a season like last year. They feel bad, like they let a lot of people down, including each other.

``That's part of the reason they've been so adaptable to change and to us. They've always tried to do what we've asked them to do. They want to be successful and get Alabama football back where it has been.''

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(color) no caption (foreground: Alabama football coach Dennis Franchione with team; background: image of Bear Bryant)