Nate Oats addresses Alabama basketball being ranked higher than football, sets expectations

When Nate Oats stepped up to the SEC Media Days podium, his team was ranked higher in their respective poll than the football program. Alabama is the preseason No. 2 overall team, while Kalen DeBoer‘s squad currently sits at No. 7. A weird sight for the football-dominant school, even if fans cheer for both.

Oats has always shown respect for football since being hired at Alabama, working with Nick Saban for a few years, and now DeBoer. He knows there is quite the standard of winning to live up to. Not just in a one-off season but finding success throughout a long period of time.

“The level that the football program at Alabama has been at for an extremely long time, particularly since Coach Saban took over, is ridiculous,” Oats said. “So just the amount of times they’ve been ranked No. 1, top 5 is absurd. We’re just trying to get the basketball program up to a championship level.

“There’s six programs at Alabama that have won National Championships. Basketball is not one of them. We’re trying to get it to that level. We feel like we’re at a level we can compete for one. It’s really hard to win one.”

Alabama made its first-ever Final Four last April before falling to UConn in the national semifinal as the Huskies eventually won the national championship. Oats was quick to point out football has 18 national titles to its name throughout history. Reaching that number during Oats’ tenure is nearly impossible but the goal is certainly to get one soon.

“We’re still 18 National Championships behind football, and there will be 12 teams going to the Playoffs, and I’m assuming that Coach DeBoer is going to have his team in that 12,” Oats said. “They looked pretty good when I was at that game against Georgia.”

The hunt for a national championship for Oats will begin on Nov. 4 when UNC Asheville comes to Tuscaloosa for the season opener. As usual, Alabama is projected to play one of the hardest nonconference schedules in the country, with five preseason-ranked teams on there plus top mid-major programs.

If wins begin to stack early in the season, the high ranking in the AP poll will continue. Oats is likely hoping football rises up too as their season progresses.