Paul Finebaum, Stephen A Smith lament Alabama's 'lost cause' amid disappointing season

With last week’s loss to LSU, Alabama has done something it hasn’t done since 2010. The Crimson Tide have lost two regular season games before the Iron Bowl, and it’s led to quite the reaction from Alabama fans.

Stephen A. Smith is one of them, and he had three words on “First Take” on Tuesday to describe his thoughts on the season.

“I’m very disappointed,” he said.

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Smith and SEC Network host Paul Finebaum went back and forth about the state of Alabama’s season after last week’s loss to LSU in Baton Rouge. The Crimson Tide entered the year with sky-high expectations considering the amount of talent they returned and added via the transfer portal, but will likely find themselves farther outside the College Football Playoff conversation Tuesday night.

Finebaum had some harsh criticism about Alabama’s season and, specifically, head coach Nick Saban.

“What really is upsetting is that this is a wasted opportunity,” Finebaum said. “Alabama started the year with the best quarterback in college football and the best defensive player in Will Anderson Jr., and it feels like a lost cause. Now, some people are saying, ‘How can you say that?’ They’ve lost two games on the final play, but they’ve also won two games on the final play, and that shouldn’t have happened, Stephen A. There’s a lot of fault to go around, and I hope you’re sitting and I hope you’ve got some medication nearby, but you know where the blame lies, Stephen A.? It lies with your man, Nick Saban.

“This has not been a vintage Nick Saban season. … It’s Nick Saban’s fault. I know it’s convenient to blame players and blame coordinators, but this is on the GOAT, OK? He’s been there 15 years and he missed a few players. He missed in the portal. He needed explosive, dynamic wide receivers. And he didn’t get them. He doesn’t have Jeudy or Jones or DeVonta or Ruggs or all these guys that have helped him win so many national championships. I think, ultimately, that is the problem. He’s also got a pretty average offensive line and a mediocre to bad offensive coordinator in Bill O’Brien.”

Smith also pointed to the lack of weapons around Young, pointing to some big names making names for themselves in the NFL. He then compared it to Alabama’s current wide receiver corps, which might not be at the same level as years past.

“You give up 52 points and lose to Tennessee,” Smith said. “You should’ve beaten LSU. … The bottom line is this. To me, Paul, look, there’s no way of getting around it. I have no excuses. I expected more from Alabama. Bryce Young out there seems like a one-man wrecking crew. Doesn’t seem to have the help that I’m accustomed to seeing Alabama quarterbacks have.

“The days of Julio Jones are long gone. DeVonta Smith, for crying out loud, is long gone. … I’m thinking about some of the great, great wide receivers in Alabama history. I just don’t see it on this squad this year. They’re good. They’re good, Paul, but I mean, the greatness, I just don’t see it. Am I wrong in saying that?