It helps if the Chancellor can long snap as wellI agree that having top talent at AD and having a President and Chancellor that understand things is probably most important.
I don't agree that Alabama has remained on top for the past 50 years. From the time Bear Bryant retired in 1981 until Sabin was hired in 2006 Alabama was pretty average most of the time and downright bad some of the time. They had about 4 good years under Gene Stallings but nothing else that was that great or sustained. Alabama wondered in the wilderness for about 25 years waiting for a coach.