Alabama: It’s one of the biggest names in college football, with more bowl-game appearances than any other team. The school has had its share of victories, but not without plenty of scandals.

After several recruitment violations, NCAA restrictions and cries of discrimination over coaching decisions, the Crimson Tide struggle to return to the team that was known as a great football dynasty – not the tabloid fodder of the college football world.

Alabama’s cause wasn’t helped when newly hired coach Mike Price allegedly spent several hundred dollars at a strip club in Pensacola, Fla., had a few drinks and racked up a $1,000 room-service bill with a stripper named Destiny.

After being fired for “misconduct,” Price filed a $20 million lawsuit in July for breach of contract, violation of civil rights, wrongful termination and fraud.

If it’s any comfort to Price, coaching scandals are nothing new at Alabama. Mike DuBose, who coached from 1997 to 2000, was fired after his secretary filed a sexual harassment complaint, which forced the university to settle out of court.

The Crimson Tide now are led by Mike Shula, their fourth coach in three years. His job will be scrutinized now more than ever.

“The nature of the job puts coaches under pressure every day,” said Barry Allen, Alabama’s assistant director of media relations, about the Crimson Tide’s head coaching position. “[Shula’s] main focus is this team and doing what he can with them.”

To top off Alabama’s coaching woes, Jesse Jackson called for an investigation of the hiring policies at Alabama and other Southeastern Conference schools shortly after Shula was hired. Jackson said Sylvester Croom, a black assistant coach for the Green Bay Packers, was more qualified than Shula.

Croom was an All-American at Alabama and also spent 10 years as assistant coach for the Crimson Tide. Shula has never been a head coach, but spent 15 years with the Miami Dolphins as an assistant.

Croom would have been the first African-American coach in SEC history.

Alabama received sanctions from the NCAA – not for drunken coach fiascos or race-related reasons, but for illegal recruiting methods.

The NCAA found 11 major violations (one was later withdrawn), placing the team on five years of probation, which will limit the number of scholarships the university is allowed to award and prohibit the school from entering bowl games for two years.

One violation involved an Alabama booster, previously identified as Logan Young of Memphis, Tenn., dishing out $100,000 in cash and two sport utility vehicles in exchange for directing star recruit Albert Means to Alabama.

With all this history in mind, Shula takes the helm of a program that hopes to forget scandals and look forward.

“I don’t think Coach Shula sees any additional pressures,” Allen said. “What’s happened is in the past; only he can control the future. Any pressure he feels is from himself.”

Regardless of restrictions, Allen says it’s something the team has to live with.

“They don’t feel sorry for themselves,” he said. “They just want another 10-win season.”

Alabama went 10-3 last year and won the SEC West division.

NIU football coach Joe Novak said he agreed the restrictions have little effect on the players.

“I’m sure they’re disappointed,” Novak said, “but they’re still playing for the University of Alabama, with a tremendous tradition. Any coach could find a way to motivate. They can’t go to bowl games, but they can still be a good football team.”

At least for this weekend, Jesse Jackson, Mike Price and Destiny will take a backseat to Crimson Tide football, for which Alabama used to be known.