Paul Finebaum raises concerns about Alabama AD Greg Byrne after Brad Bohannon situation

It’s safe to say that Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne has had his hands full, most recently having to fire head baseball coach Brad Bohannon following a sports betting scandal that was uncovered last week.

Former Alabama quarterback and current analyst Greg McElroy gave his perspective on the situation, questioning how much Byrne should be at fault for a bad situation that was unexpected and seemingly out of his control. Which ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum addressed on ‘McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning’.

“I think that’s an accurate depiction of this singular situation, but I think Greg unfortunately that’s not why people are saying what they’re saying,” Finebaum said. “Anybody can make a bad hire, we’ve seen it a thousand times. And there’s no evidence, well there is evidence this was a bad hire, you have to say so considering it crashed and burned.”

Bohannon was in the midst of his sixth season as Alabama’s head coach before he was fired, leading the Crimson Tide to a 166–124 overall record and just 48–91 in conference play. He hadn’t led Alabama to much success on the field, and his involvement in suspicious wagering activity in the team’s April 28 game versus LSU definitely solidifies that Bohannon was not Byrne’s best hire.

“But that’s not enough, what I think the people are pointing to, and again you’re hearing what I’m hearing and everyone’s talking because that’s just the way it goes. But you’re right in this one case, but I think overall there just seems to be a lot of questions. And I know some of it sounds extreme because this is someone by all accounts has done a very good job and has been very popular,” Finebaum explained.

Byrne did extend the contract of head football coach Nick Saban, making him the highest paid head coach in college football early in his tenure. He also hired Bohannon and head basketball coach Nate Oats, who both headed teams that have had their fair share of distractions outside the field of play this year.

“But these things change quickly and all I’m saying is I think we need to hear from Greg Byrne,” Finebaum said. “I think we need a full accounting from him at some point, not specifically about the Bohannon situation because that clearly is something that is in another venue, but Alabama fans and I think people around this program want to feel good about their program and right now they don’t.”

Between the Bohannon situation, Alabama’s basketball players being involved in a fatal shooting in January, and the recent arrest of basketball transfer Jaykwon Walton as well as football recruit Tony Mitchell, it’s safe to say the program has had plenty of negative circumstances surrounding it. Circumstances that Finebaum believes Byrne should address sooner than later.