🏈 Alabama defensive assistant coach Hot Board

[Bamabww]

Aaron Suttles
TideSports.com Senior Writer

ALABAMA DEFENSIVE ASSISTANT COACH HOT BOARD

LEADING CANDIDATES
CURRENTLY TOTAL EXPERIENCE
Derrick Ansley Kentucky cornerbacks coach 3 years
High

Derrick Ansley is one of the most well respected young coaches in the country. He's got experience coaching and recruiting in the ultra-competitive Southeastern Conference, serving two years at Kentucky and one at Tennessee. Ansley spent the last two seasons as the Kentucky cornerbacks coach. Under his leadership the Wildcats recorded 15 interceptions, 49 pass break ups and 64 passes defended in 2014. He helped tutor some of Alabama's best secondary players during his time in Tuscaloosa, including Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick and DeQuan Menzie. Alabama's opening is for an inside linebackers coach, but Kirby Smart could shift back to linebackers coach, a position he filled in 2013, making room for a secondary coach.
Alabama/Saban connection:

Ansley served as a defensive graduate assistant under Saban at Alabama in 2010-11, during which the Crimson Tide went a combined 22-4 and captured the 2011 BCS title.

Deshea Townsend Mississippi State cornerbacks coach 4 years
Medium

Deshea Townsend naturally settled into a coaching career after concluding a 13-year NFL career that included two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played in nearly 200 games in the NFL, recording 428 tackles, 21 interceptions, 15.5 sacks, five fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and three defensive touchdowns. A Mississippi native, Townsend landed in the SEC after a two-year stint with the Arizona Cardinals as an assistant defensive backs coach. He led an opportunistic secondary that recorded 16 interceptions, 73 pass break ups and 89 passes defended.

Alabama/Saban connection:

Townsend enjoyed a four-year career at Alabama (1994-97). He was an first-team All-SEC cornerback in 1996, and was drafted in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1998.

Ed Orgeron None Since 1988
Medium

Ed Orgeron is one of the most known, exciting defensive coaches in the country. He's also no stranger to the SEC, having served as head coach at Ole Miss from 2005-07 and as an assistant under current Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin at Tennessee in 2009. Orgeron is one of the nation's top recruiters. The majority of his career he's coached the defensive line, so he's not a perfect fit for Alabama's coaching vacancy. However, he has coached linebackers in the past.
Alabama/Saban connection:
Coached under Lane Kiffin at Tennessee and Southern California..

Tosh Lupoi Alabama intern; Former Washington defensive line coach 6 years
Medium

Tosh Lupoi spent the 2014 season as an "intern" on Nick Saban's staff. "He's going to be an intern, and he's got a lot of good experience both coaching and recruiting," Saban said of his hiring. Lupoi served as Washington's defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator before coming to Tuscaloosa. He's known as one of the country's elite recruiters and was named the 2010 Rivals Recruiter of the Year.

Alabama/Saban connection:
Served as an intern at Alabama in 2014.

- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1725091#sthash.ugKHdmxT.dpuf

 

[alabama mike]

I had forgotten all about Lupoi being in Tuscaloosa. One thing we know is that CNS will make a quality hire.

 

[BamaCore]

Cross Orgeron off that list. He's going to join Steele at LSU.

 

[JoshB]

Would love for Townsend to come but Ansley would be a great fit too.

 

[TerryP]

Would love for Townsend to come but Ansley would be a great fit too.

Wouldn't DeShea fit in better with the "brick by brick" thing Butch Jones has going on at UT? :devil:

 

[BamaFan334]

I had forgotten all about Lupoi being in Tuscaloosa. One thing we know is that CNS will make a quality hire.

I was about to say the exact same thing about Lupoi. For some reason I thought he had been sent packing or it never materialized. I wonder if he's allowed to recruit and contact recruits at his position? Not sure of the NCAA rules regarding recruiting, so that's why I say that. Just not sure if only coaches and position coaches could, not interns.

Orgeron would be a huge get if we did land him. His passion and excitement make him a perfect hire no matter what position. If he can be a head coach, he can fill any void to the extent of success by focusing on one aspect, especially since it's the guys that lined up right behind his expertises position. His players have always loved him, he can freaking recruit, and we would have built a killer staff that has so much coaching experience it;s almost unfair. We'd have position coaches with more head coaching experience than most actual head coaches around the country.

Townsend would be a good fit because he's an Alabama guy and respects the program, knows what it's about, and has walked the halls before. He appears to be a pretty good coach as well.

 

[TerryP]

I wonder if he's allowed to recruit and contact recruits at his position?

His primary position has been about the same as the Director of Player Personnel. He's allowed contact with recruits when they are on campus. Other than that, no. The majority of his work day is spent in film study; both with recruits and game prep.

He appears to be a pretty good coach as well.

How do you figure that?

He had a veteran ladened secondary this year and the Dawgs finished 177th out of 128 teams in pass defense (yards per game.)

Now, they did get their share of INT's this season with 16; same number as Tennessee, or Florida, or Georgia...but that's hardly one thing to base a hire upon.

My opinion, mind you...

 

[BamaFan334]

His primary position has been about the same as the Director of Player Personnel. He's allowed contact with recruits when they are on campus. Other than that, no. The majority of his work day is spent in film study; both with recruits and game prep.



How do you figure that?

He had a veteran ladened secondary this year and the Dawgs finished 177th out of 128 teams in pass defense (yards per game.)

Now, they did get their share of INT's this season with 16; same number as Tennessee, or Florida, or Georgia...but that's hardly one thing to base a hire upon.

My opinion, mind you...

Can't fight statistics, but getting turnovers puts your team at a major advantage and gives you opportunities. I don't remember their pass rush being much, so we know exactly what no pass rush brings...more pressure on the secondary. People call Coach Saban one of the best ever, but our secondary seemingly got abused every time a team decided to throw deep. I personally think our sendary was our achillies heel this year, and last year. You think he is a bad coach? Being an alumni, young, and wanting to climb the coaching ladder is looking at the brightside of it. Maybe I just want him to be a better coach as well, ha ha.

 

[TerryP]

I don't remember their pass rush being much, so we know exactly what no pass rush brings...more pressure on the secondary.

They averaged almost three sacks a game this past season. I want to say the total number was 37, but I'd have to double check that number. The Tide came close to seven TFL this past season; MSU wasn't far behind that number (decimal points.)

They had five seniors this year in their two deep on the defensive line; three of whom started.

You're going to see the 2015 MSU team drop back to where they were two years ago; maybe worse. One of the biggest storylines about the Dawgs when they were ranked #1 was the rotation along the defensive line and how much experience those guys had in 2013.

 

[TheChief]

I can hear it now...

Orgeron: grumpherfgrumblecomegrrrlitogrumpgrumblegrumbleAlabamagrrrumblegrump.. RollTide

 

[Bamabww]

Bill ClarkNone, South Alabama DC, Jacksonville State HC, UAB HC 7 years
Medium

Bill Clark has deep ties in the state of Alabama in both the high school and college ranks. He won a pair of state championships at Prattville High School before going to South Alabama as the defensive coordinator. He stayed at South Alabama from 1999-2007 before going to Jacksonville State as head coach. He coached there for one season before taking the UAB head coaching job. The job he did with the Blazers makes Clark a prime target. With the controversy surrounding the disbanding of the UAB program, it makes it a bit troublesome for Alabama to court the Blazers' head coach. However, Clark is available and his ties to the state are beneficial.

Alabama/Saban connection:

None.


Micheal BarrowNone, Miami LB coach 8 years
Medium

Micheal Barrow is a name that keeps popping up from sources as one to examine. He sat out the 2014 season on what he termed a sabbatical, caring for his ill mother. He retired from pro football following the 2005 season and coached at Homestead High School for two seasons before joining the Hurricanes staff. He has deep ties to the South Florida area, one in which Alabama heavily recruits.

Alabama/Saban connection:

None.

Ellis JohnsonNone, Auburn DC, Southern Miss HC Since 1982
Low

Ellis Johnson may seem like a strange name, and it's a long shot at best that the veteran defensive coach would join the staff. But the 63-year old coach has let it be known that he would be open to joining the Alabama staff even in a support role. Even so, it remains an improbability.

Alabama/Saban connection:

Served as outside linebacker coach at Alabama from 1990-93 under Gene Stallings.

- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1725091#sthash.4uyMjnHb.dpuf

 

[UAgrad93]

I want one or two that can coach our secondary how to read a damn ball in the air and react! Either bat it down or intercept it! Maybe Mitch Gaspard and his bunch can work with them!!