BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
The Tide welcomes a new face, and a familiar face to the staff.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban confirmed the hiring of offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier and the return of Lance Thompson as outside linebackers coach.
Both hires were reported earlier this week, but the university held off an official announcement until Wednesday without the completion of paperwork.
Nussmeier spent the last three seasons on Steve Sarkisianās staff at Washington. He replaces Jim McElwain, who is now the head coach at Colorado State.
āWe are excited to have Doug as our new offensive coordinator at Alabama,ā Saban said in a statement released by the school. āNot only does he have a good deal of experience as a coach and a player both at the college and NFL level, but he also brings a great passion for the game and a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
āAt Washington, they were very productive on offense, especially with their quarterbacks. Jake Locker finished his career as one of the top passers in Washington history and was Tennesseeās first round pick. Keith Price stepped in as a first-year starter last season with very little experience, and not only set school records, but also ranked seventh nationally in pass efficiency. I think Doug will be a great fit with us.ā
Balance was a Washington trademark the past two seasons. Priceās efficiency rating was second in the Pac 12 behind only Andrew Luck of Stanford. Running back Chris Polk ranked 16[SUP]th[/SUP] nationally after averaging 114.5 rushing yards per game. However, Nussmeier did not have play-calling responsibilities for the Huskies.
āIām both honored and excited to have the opportunity to coach at the University of Alabama,ā Nussmeier said in the statement. āIām looking forward to jumping right in with recruiting and then getting to know the players and everyone involved with the program. ā¦
āIāve heard a lot about Alabama football in terms of the history, the tradition, the great fans, and I can already see why this is such a special place.ā
Thompson was on Sabanās staff in 2007 and 2008. The recruiting specialist left to join Lane Kiffinās staff at Tennessee in January of 2009 ā three weeks before signing day. He coached Vol linebackers for two years and the defensive line last season on Derek Dooleyās staff.
āLance knows our system on defense well, and he does a great job of communicating that information to the players,ā Saban said in the statement. āOn a personal level, he relates well with the players and is a very good recruiter. We are glad to have Lance back with our program.ā
Thompson was on national championship staffs at Georgia Tech (volunteer assistant 1990) and again with Saban at LSU (recruiting and tight ends 2003).
āIām really glad to be back at Alabama, and I appreciate the opportunity Coach Saban and (defensive coordinator) Kirby Smart have offered me,ā Thompson said in the statement. āAs a defensive coach, it doesnāt get any better. ā¦
āThe tradition and history at Alabama is like no other place in the country when it comes to college football and this is a special time to be a part of that.ā
Alabama head coach Nick Saban confirmed the hiring of offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier and the return of Lance Thompson as outside linebackers coach.Both hires were reported earlier this week, but the university held off an official announcement until Wednesday without the completion of paperwork.
Nussmeier spent the last three seasons on Steve Sarkisianās staff at Washington. He replaces Jim McElwain, who is now the head coach at Colorado State.
āWe are excited to have Doug as our new offensive coordinator at Alabama,ā Saban said in a statement released by the school. āNot only does he have a good deal of experience as a coach and a player both at the college and NFL level, but he also brings a great passion for the game and a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
āAt Washington, they were very productive on offense, especially with their quarterbacks. Jake Locker finished his career as one of the top passers in Washington history and was Tennesseeās first round pick. Keith Price stepped in as a first-year starter last season with very little experience, and not only set school records, but also ranked seventh nationally in pass efficiency. I think Doug will be a great fit with us.ā
Balance was a Washington trademark the past two seasons. Priceās efficiency rating was second in the Pac 12 behind only Andrew Luck of Stanford. Running back Chris Polk ranked 16[SUP]th[/SUP] nationally after averaging 114.5 rushing yards per game. However, Nussmeier did not have play-calling responsibilities for the Huskies.
āIām both honored and excited to have the opportunity to coach at the University of Alabama,ā Nussmeier said in the statement. āIām looking forward to jumping right in with recruiting and then getting to know the players and everyone involved with the program. ā¦
āIāve heard a lot about Alabama football in terms of the history, the tradition, the great fans, and I can already see why this is such a special place.ā
Thompson was on Sabanās staff in 2007 and 2008. The recruiting specialist left to join Lane Kiffinās staff at Tennessee in January of 2009 ā three weeks before signing day. He coached Vol linebackers for two years and the defensive line last season on Derek Dooleyās staff.āLance knows our system on defense well, and he does a great job of communicating that information to the players,ā Saban said in the statement. āOn a personal level, he relates well with the players and is a very good recruiter. We are glad to have Lance back with our program.ā
Thompson was on national championship staffs at Georgia Tech (volunteer assistant 1990) and again with Saban at LSU (recruiting and tight ends 2003).
āIām really glad to be back at Alabama, and I appreciate the opportunity Coach Saban and (defensive coordinator) Kirby Smart have offered me,ā Thompson said in the statement. āAs a defensive coach, it doesnāt get any better. ā¦
āThe tradition and history at Alabama is like no other place in the country when it comes to college football and this is a special time to be a part of that.ā
