🏈 Looks like Lance Thompson is out as well...

[TerryP]

...reported to have had talks with Muschamp in KY at the convention.

 

[rammerjammer]

What's your take? I'll be honest, i don't like losing him. I could handle losing Steele better than Thompson. Plus Steel was moving up in position. This is a lateral move for Thompson. That is twice he has left Saban for a lateral move. How many times can you burn a bridge?

 

[PhillyGirl]

Aaron Suttles @AaronSuttles
What this also also means: Alabama is not just losing two assistant coaches and great recruiters, it's losing them to division rivals.

Aaron Suttles @AaronSuttles
.@CoachBeaumont Conflicting reports on whether Thompson left of his own choosing.

 

[sean]

Losing a coach to another team (same conference or otherwise) is something i can handle if it's a step up for them.

but to lose one in a lateral move is just strange. seems to me when that happens it's something personal between the assistant and the head coach (i'm just speculating here.....nothing definitive).

 

[UAgrad93]

@TerryP, was this of his choosing or was Saban ready for a change?

 

[UAgrad93]

Looks like Aaron Suttles just tweeted the answer to my question. Tosh Lupoi will no doubt take one of these spots. Who gets the other?

 

[planomateo]

House cleaning.

 

[PhillyGirl]

"Ranked No. 1 recruiter in nation by ESPN last January"

 

[rammerjammer]

Looks like Aaron Suttles just tweeted the answer to my question. Tosh Lupoi will no doubt take one of these spots. Who gets the other?

Just saw that too. Looks like Saban allows his assistants to save face once again. Since he has arrived in 07, he has not "fired" anyone. Several have been invited to leave, but they all were allowed to take other positions elsewhere.

 

[TerryP]

What's your take? I'll be honest, i don't like losing him. I could handle losing Steele better than Thompson. Plus Steel was moving up in position. This is a lateral move for Thompson. That is twice he has left Saban for a lateral move. How many times can you burn a bridge?

I didn't like him being re-hired. He's okay as a position coach. He's good as a recruiter. He's one of the best at dipping his wick with co-eds rivaling one Mark Gottfried. Lance has the numbers on his side in that competition.

@TerryP, was this of his choosing or was Saban ready for a change?

I know Steele was "encouraged." This revolves around Steele and Smart "not seeing eye to eye." (I'm being polite here.)

A few things I consider to be of note include the point Thompson has never had the responsibility of coaching out inside 'backers (AKA, the QB's of our defense.) Another is the fact we're in nickel at least 75% of the time now. Why have two linebacking coaches on staff when we spent so little time with both inside and outside linebackers playing their true positions? You have one going "against the grain" of the defensive coordinator. Then we come to LT...

Now, let's get into coaching on the field for a second. How do you feel about the development of guys like Evans? Where was Ryan Anderson when he was under Thompson's coaching entirely? Remember how we had what I called "reverse discrimination" with DuBose? Lance is from that tree; he's of that ilk.

Understand. My opinion is largely shaped by what we've seen with Thompson off the field. I'll readily admit, I have a prejudiced view.

 

[Bamabww]

Alabama loses second defensive assistant coach

Aaron Suttles
TideSports.com Senior Writer

For the second time in less than 24 hours, an Alabama defensive assistant coach is on the move to a Southeastern Conference Western Division rival.

Outside linebackers coach Lance Thompson is heading to Auburn to join the Tigers' defensive coaching staff less than a day after inside linebackers coach Kevin Steele left to become LSU's defensive coordinator.

TideSports.com has learned that Thompson was told to find a job elsewhere.

Thompson served two stints under Nick Saban at Alabama (2007-08, 2012-14). He left following the 2008 season to join Lane Kiffin's Tennessee staff. Thompson also coached at Alabama from 1999-2000

He's considered one of the Southeast's best recruiters and his work along Alabama's Gulf Coast in the Mobile area is of particular note. He signed Julio Jones, A.J. McCarron, Mark Barron, D.J. Fluker and Trent Richardson all from that area, and he was the Rivals Recruiter of the Year in 2008.

Thompson worked as Alabama's outside linebackers coach the last three seasons, and, according to a release by Auburn, that's the position group he'll work with for the Tigers.

Thompson wasn't immediately available for comment, but he was quoted in a statement released by Auburn on Wednesday morning.

"I'm really excited and very appreciative to be joining the Auburn football family and work with Coach Malzahn, Coach Muschamp and the entire staff," Thompson said in a released statement. "I have a great amount of respect for Coach Malzahn and what he represents and what he has accomplished in a short period of time. I hope to bring my strengths to the program to help Auburn football achieve its goals of winning a national championship. I'm blessed to be joining Coach Malzahn's staff and the Auburn family."

Alabama coach Nick Saban must now replace two defensive assistant coaches, positions he would like to have in place well before National Signing Day on Feb. 4.

- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1725152#sthash.DN7KT4D7.dpuf

 

[Bamabww]

Aaron Suttles:I have confirmed from multiple sources that Lance Thompson was told to find a job elsewhere.

 

[PhillyGirl]

Michael Casagrande @ByCasagrande
(Recruited by Lance Thompson). RT @DallasWarmack: No Coach Thompson

 

[jdpas29]

it's good timing for a little enema. it has been a good run but maybe it's a bit stagnant around there. certainly the huge amounts of yards Bama gave up are an indication that something needs to change. Maybe some new faces will be a good thing.

 

[TerryP]

To be fair with Thompson, his diabetes has wrecked his body as well. A lot of that is due to his lifestyle: a lot of poor choices he's made in more than one area.

 

[sean]

looks like he's headed to auburn.....

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/01/auburn_hires_lance_thompson_aw.html

 

[UAgrad93]

To be fair with Thompson, his diabetes has wrecked his body as well. A lot of that is due to his lifestyle: a lot of poor choices he's made in more than one area.

My wife has diabetes, but she takes care of her body unlike Thompson. You definitely have to change your lifestyle if you want to remain in the game a long time.

 

[planomateo]

Maybe we find someone who know's how to develop blocking TE's...

 

[TerryP]

Maybe we find someone who know's how to develop blocking TE's...

If found, it'll be on the recruiting trail. It's an area woefully thin and poorly coached at the HS level.

 

[UAgrad93]

If found, it'll be on the recruiting trail. It's an area woefully thin and poorly coached at the HS level.

Agreed! HS kids that are put at TE get bounced around from the Oline groups to the WR groups during their practices. They spend most of their time getting their conditioning out of the way on the running back and forth between the two!! HS coaches don't know how to utilize a true TE either. The kid often gets put at OT if he has decent size and they are a predominant running team, or they spread them out wide if in a spread offense.