Gary Rutledge, the older of the two Rutledge brothers who played quarterback for Coach Bryant during the wishbone era, remembers the secrecy surrounding the introduction of the Tide's new offense.

Players were instructed not to discuss the plans to switch to the wishbone with friends or even family, he said.

When sports writers visited Tuscaloosa prior to the '71 season and the debut of the wishbone for the Tide, the old offense was rolled out.

That all combined to give the Tide the element of surprise when they met Southern Cal that fall in the LA Memorial Coliseum to kick off a new season, and a new era in Alabama football.