📡 How Alabama is adjusting to Nick Saban's new assistants

[Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com]

Two months after winning its 17th national championship, Alabama has hit the practice field with six new assistant coaches.

Ross Pierschbacher still hears the raspy bark from Brent Key.

It's a familiar sound around the practice fields and a reminder some things at Alabama have remained the same since the national championship thriller two months ago.

But all around Pierschbacher, the veteran offensive lineman, there are different faces overseeing the various position groups on the team. Six to be exact.

Look one way way and there is Josh Gattis working with the receivers. Turn in another direction and Craig Kuligowski is giving directives to the defensive line. Gattis and Kuligowski are among the new wave of Tide assistants -- a group that also includes coaches in charge of quarterbacks (Dan Enos), inside linebackers (Pete Golding), defensive backs (Karl Scott), as well as tight ends and special teams (Jeff Banks).

They are the key figures in a staff transformation that unfolded shortly after Nick Saban completed his eleventh season at the Capstone. When a reporter recently prodded Saban to discuss the sweeping changes, he bristled.

"I didn't have a choice," he said. "You make it sound like I did it on purpose."

But that was not the case. This was not some grand scheme, as Saban alluded. It just sort of happened -- forcing the hand of the control-obsessed Saban.

The dominoes really started tumbling six days after Alabama claimed its 17th national championship. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll skipped off to the Buffalo Bills. Kuligowski's predecessor, Karl Dunbar, left to take the same job with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The man Scott succeeded, Derrick Ansley, jumped to oversee the Oakland Raiders' secondary. And long before those departures, former defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt was lured to Knoxville to shepherd Tennessee's woebegone program.

The fallout from those moves was considerable. Mike Locksley, who had directed the receivers, replaced Daboll and opened the door for Gattis and Enos. Tosh Lupoi, meanwhile, filled the role vacated by Pruitt -- giving Golding the opportunity to come aboard. Then there was the implementation of a new NCAA rule allowing a tenth on-field assistant, which provided Saban the flexibility to snag Enos after the Tide added Banks to the fold.

When the dust settled, Saban was satisfied with his reconstructed army of assistants, saying Alabama "hit a home run" with its hires.

"I'm excited about our staff," he elaborated. "These guys have been great, they're really aggressive recruiters, the players like them, I'm really excited about them. I really am."

But there figures to be an adjustment period as the coaches become acclimated to the program and the players get used to so many new voices.

Only two members of Saban's staff -- Key and Lupoi -- are presiding over the same position groups they managed in 2017.

There is even a different running backs coach for the first time since Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa. Burton Burns' surprising decision to move into an administrative role led to Joe Pannunzio taking over his duties.

"It's different," said Damien Harris, who led the team in rushing the last two seasons. "As players, I think it's important for us to show these coaches and the new people on this staff that we have all the confidence in the world in them to help us become better players and better men.

"Whether that's a new coach telling you something and not shrugging them off as if you haven't been here for that long. Embrace what he's saying. Treat him just like you would treat your old coach. Show that respect and show that you believe in them. They're only trying to help you be a better player and a better person. I think a lot of guys have done a good job of that."

It's probably because they're used to change. College football programs are transient by nature. Alabama is especially so, considering that Saban's assistants are routinely poached by other teams seeking the Crimson Tide's secret to success.

"We've had our fair share of coaches come in and out, so you kind of learn how to adjust," outside linebacker Christian Miller said.

But even Miller acknowledged the turnover this offseason has been extreme.

Smiling, he said, "There's a few more newer guys than normal."

And some unfamiliar barks as well.


Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com
How Alabama is adjusting to Nick Saban's new assistants

 

[TUSKtimes]

The most interesting articles I'm reading these days are the ones that try to explain how Saban is sustaining this success. Maybe the greatest coaching of all during this stretch is getting these players to buy into the work ethic and leadership that it takes to keep repeating this thing. It just isn't human nature to have these kids this motivated year after year after reaching the pinnacle of success as often as they do. When I think about all the Saban clones coaching out there in the SEC, I wonder if they can emulate this part of his game from their notes?

 

[rammerjammer]

@TUSKstuff you are so right. It has to do with being a psychologist of sorts. I was very young when Bear finished up at Alabama, but reading about his demeanor, personality, and ability to motivate. He and CNS were/are identical in this role.

A couple years ago at the "Hey Coach" show, I ask Saban if he did psychological testing a profiling on players. (Franchione, did). Saban said early on he attempted that trying to figure out how and which buttons to push in order to get what he needs out of a player. He said over the years he has done it so much and pays so much attention to it, that he can tell by being around the players and working with them, how to motivate them and push them. He also uses a lot of guys like Dr Lonny Rosen and Dr Kevin Elko to speak to his team regularly.
When these guys talk, Saban a lot of times will be taking notes himself. He is a master at the psychological aspect of "coaching" and I think that is what separates him from other good coaches. I think it is that very thing that separated Coach Bryant as well.

 

[TUSKtimes]

@TUSKstuff you are so right. It has to do with being a psychologist of sorts. I was very young when Bear finished up at Alabama, but reading about his demeanor, personality, and ability to motivate. He and CNS were/are identical in this role.

A couple years ago at the "Hey Coach" show, I ask Saban if he did psychological testing a profiling on players. (Franchione, did). Saban said early on he attempted that trying to figure out how and which buttons to push in order to get what he needs out of a player. He said over the years he has done it so much and pays so much attention to it, that he can tell by being around the players and working with them, how to motivate them and push them. He also uses a lot of guys like Dr Lonny Rosen and Dr Kevin Elko to speak to his team regularly.
When these guys talk, Saban a lot of times will be taking notes himself. He is a master at the psychological aspect of "coaching" and I think that is what separates him from other good coaches. I think it is that very thing that separated Coach Bryant as well.

It's the best way to compare these two coaches beyond the insane idea you can just compare numbers. People's brains just head out in different directions and both these guys obviously access a deep interest in human nature. As good as they are at it, you would have to think it's in the DNA. But I think like a great painter, they still took the time to learn all the intricacies that go into making a masterpiece. I can see where others find that hard to duplicate.