🏈 Bama's new offensive coordinator search (let's keep thoughts, suggestions, articles, rumors here...)

[TheChief]

Terry, remember all the "secondary" violations Kiffin left behind on the hill? I'm afraid that would be the scene in T-Town. He can't play by the rules. He has no respect for the rules. By the time punishment is doled out, he'll be long gone, and the only thing left behind will be the stink.

OK, tell me why they are right, Chief.

 

[TheChief]

Saw this one on Facebook.

 

[JoshB]

lol havent even hired the guy and ppl are screaming that its the fall of Rome, lord.

 

[BamaCore]

I will admit that I never really liked Kiffin. I also realize that he's got some history. But I do know one thing. At Alabama, he plays by Saban's rules or he doesn't play at all. All and all, with his recruiting prowess among other things...I wouldn't mind the hire at all.

 

[Kirk Van de Graaff]

One thing here for me.... I am not worried one bit about this, I would think that there would be plenty of OCs out there that would look our way. In the end we will be alright and Coach Saban has a solid track record of getting good people to fill positions that are needed.

 

[XXL TideFan]

I trust Coach. Gotta remember, CNS doesn't allow OC's or DC's running their yappers off to the press.

 

[Rolltide24]

Wonder how quick Kiffin would assemble the team of ladies that helped his recruiting efforts in Knoxville. If that's how a guy gains recruits, I'm not interested. And remember how he would cry when he didn't land a guy? I submit Alshon Jeffries as exhibit 1... But like most of you guys, if coach hires him, he's the right guy for the job.

 

[RollllTide!]

Ok I haven’t read all of the media crap but the facts are that he spent 8 days with CNS and one of those nights was with dinner with Ms Saban and Coach. I believe it is a done deal.

 

[Bamabww]

[TABLE="class: container, width: 646"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="class: maintitle, colspan: 5"]ALABAMA OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR HOT BOARD[/TD]
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[TD][/TD]
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[TR="class: titlebar"]
[TD="class: subtitle, bgcolor: #E7E7E7, colspan: 2"]LEADING CANDIDATES
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[TD="class: offer, bgcolor: #CDCDCD, align: center"]CURRENTLY[/TD]
[TD="class: measurables, bgcolor: #E7E7E7, align: center"]OC EXPERIENCE[/TD]
[TD="class: measurables, bgcolor: #CDCDCD, align: center"]TRENDING[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
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[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Lane Kiffin
[/TD]
[TD="class: name, align: center"]none; former USC HC/OC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]8 years
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]High

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[TD="class: name, colspan: 2"]

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This is one of the biggest coordinator openings in college football - so why not one of the most polarizing figures in college football? Kiffin's journey in coaching has been wild, mixing productive seasons as a coordinator and one season as head coach at Tennessee with major failures as a head coach with the Oakland Raiders and most recently USC. Peel back the thick layer of negative perception around Kiffin and he does show some value as an offensive mind. Including two decorated seasons as USC's co-offensive coordinator in 2005 and 2006, Kiffin was considered among the best coordinators in the nation. USC averaged 49.1 points per game in 2005 on the way to a bid in the BCS Championship Game. His pro-style offensive philosophy also pairs nicely with Saban.
UPDATE: Lane Kiffin is expected to interview with Alabama, TideSports.com has learned. He is the first candidate to interview for the position.


[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Alabama/Saban connection:

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[TD="class: content, colspan: 4"]Kiffin visited Alabama during bowl practices, a visit that caught national buzz.
"Lane is a really good offensive coach, and I've always had a tremendous amount of respect for him," Saban said last month. "Just to come in and brainstorm a little bit to get some professional ideas with our guys is a really positive thing."

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[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Billy Napier
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[TD="class: name, align: center"]Alabama wide receivers coach[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]1 year
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Medium

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[TD="class: name, colspan: 2"]

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Napier is considered one of the most promising young offensive coaches in college football. This past offseason, Napier was hired by Florida State's Jimbo Fisher as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. But he spent just three weeks in Tallahassee before accepting the job coaching wide receivers at Alabama. Napier has already proven his worth on the recruiting trail, spearheading the Crimson Tide's strong move to land three of the nation's top prospects out of the state of Louisiana. He also brings a taste of play-calling experience; At 29 years old, Napier was the offensive coordinator for two seasons at Clemson (2008-09).



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[TD="align: center"]Alabama/Saban connection:

[/TD]
[TD="class: content, colspan: 4"]Currently on staff at Alabama. Prior to 2013, he worked one season as quarterbacks coach at Colorado State under former Alabama OC Jim McElwain. And before Colorado State, he spent one season (2011) at Alabama as an offensive analyst.

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[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Mike Groh
[/TD]
[TD="class: name, align: center"]Chicago Bears wide receivers coach[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]3 years
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Medium

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[TD="class: name, colspan: 2"]

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Mike Groh isn't a stranger to Tuscaloosa, spending a total of three seasons during two different stints in the Alabama football program. He was a part of the Crimson Tide staff for all three national championship seasons (2009, 2011-12) under Saban. He joined the program in 2009 as a graduate assistant. He comes from a coaching family, the son of former New York Jets and Virginia head coach Al Groh. Mike served as the Cavaliers' offensive coordinator from 2006-08. He's known as an excellent recruiter as exampled by his flipping A'Shawn Robinson from Texas on national signing day last year.

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[TR]
[TD="align: center"]Alabama/Saban connection:

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[TD="class: content, colspan: 4"]Coached under Saban in 2009 as a graduate assistant and as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator from 2011-12.

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[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Rick Neuheisel
[/TD]
[TD="class: name, align: center"]None; Former UCLA, Washington, Colorado HC[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]14 years
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Medium

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Neuheisel brings a plethora of play calling experience, and while his last head coaching stint, UCLA, was a bust, he is still considered a top tier offensive mind. He went 87-59 in 12 seasons as a head coach, but just 21-29 in his four seasons with the Bruins (2009-12). His offensive coordinator experience dates back to 1994 at the University of Colorado. He also spent three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens as a quarterbacks coach in 2005-06 and offensive coordinator in 2007.

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[TD="align: center"]Alabama/Saban connection:

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[TD="class: content, colspan: 4"]No playing or coaching connections.

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[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Clay Helton
[/TD]
[TD="class: name, align: center"]USC Offensive coordinator[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]4 years
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Medium

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[TD="class: name, colspan: 2"]

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Clay Helton completed his fourth season at Southern Cal and his first season as the Trojans' offensive coordinator. He served as the quarterbacks coach from 2010-12 and was the passing game coordinator in 2012. He helped guide Matt Barkley to a Pac-12 season record for touchdown passes with 39. Prior to his arrival in Los Angeles, Helton was an assistant at Memphis from 2000-09. He began his career at as a graduate assistant at Duke in 1995. He was retained by new USC coach Steve Sarkisian for next season.

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[TD="align: center"]Alabama/Saban connection:

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[TD="class: content, colspan: 4"]Saban showed interest in bringing Helton on staff at LSU while Helton was at Memphis. Saban was on staff with Helton's father, Kim Helton, with the Houston Oilers in 1988-89.

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[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Frank Scelfo
[/TD]
[TD="class: name, align: center"]Jacksonville Jaguars QB coach[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]11 years
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Medium

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[TD="class: name, colspan: 2"]

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If the new offensive coordinator hire is going to be about developing quarterbacks, Scelfo should get a legitimate shot at the job. Not only does Scelfo bring play calling experience at the college level, he was credited with grooming current Philadelphia Eagles QB Nick Foles while Scelfo was the quarterbacks coach at Arizona. He also worked NFL quarterbacks J.P Losman, Patrick Ramsey and Shaun King while working as an assistant at Tulane. All told, he called plays at Tulane and Louisiana Tech for 11 seasons. He is currently the QB coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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[TD="align: center"]Alabama/Saban connection:

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[TD="class: content, colspan: 4"]No major connections. While at LSU, Saban coached against Scelfo while Scelfo was the offensive coordinator at Tulane in 2001.

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[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Freddie Kitchens
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[TD="class: name, align: center"]Arizona Cardinals QB coach[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]None
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[TD="align: center"]Medium

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[TD="class: name, colspan: 2"]

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Freddie Kitchens' ties to the Alabama program are obvious. He was quarterback at Alabama from 1993-97. Kitchens began his coaching career as a running backs/tight ends coach at Glenville State in 1999 before joining LSU in 2000. He moved on to North Texas as the running backs coach from 2000-03. Later he joined the Mississippi State staff for two seasons before jumping to the NFL. Kitchens is currently the Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks coach. He's been in the Cardinals organization since 2007.

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[TD="align: center"]Alabama/Saban connection:

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[TD="class: content, colspan: 4"]Kitchens played quarterback at Alabama from 1993-97. Saban brought Kitchens to LSU as a graduate assistant in 2000 and was instrumental in helping him transition to the NFL.[/TD]
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- See more at: http://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1584052#sthash.unW1tZgo.dpuf

 

[RollllTide!]

Ok is this a done deal? I think it is

 

[bamafan9201]

Too many people forget that OC is Kiffin's best role. He put up record numbers at USC with Leinart, Lendale White, and Reggie Bush. He was also an excellent recruiter there. I wouldn't want him as my first selection but I trust Saban and his judgment.

 

[JoshB]

Im not really sure how i feel about those USC numbers... if I had all that talent I could probably put up those kinda numbers... we're talking about big time fire power on offense.

 

[bamafan9201]

Im not really sure how i feel about those USC numbers... if I had all that talent I could probably put up those kinda numbers... we're talking about big time fire power on offense.

You mean like the fire power Bama has? I am with you though, I have a feeling anyone could step into our OC position and succeed just like Kiffin did at USC with Leinart, White, and Bush.

Play calling:
Henry Right (30%)
Henry Left (30%)
Screen to Henry (10%)
Play action to Amari/Black (20%)
Everything Else (10%)