📡 Staff additions/changes: Reports: Craig Kuligowski hired as defensive line coach

[planomateo]

Think Vanderbilt fans have any sympathy for Franklin?

 

[TUSKtimes]

Calm down, Alex Jones. That was a Penn State SBNation blog.

Keep reading, it was really about other stuff. Deep down.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Honk if you're a Co OC at Bama....

Nick hiring his staff for his final 4 years as a football coach. Enjoy the ride.

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

I always call it The Nick Saban School For Coaches Who Don't Coach Too Good and Want to Learn Other Stuff Good Too. It doesn't quite roll off the tongue quite as easy though.

 

[RollllTide!]

 

[kbama15]

Saban getting the young, energetic coaches! Maybe they will stay a while!

 

[rick4bama]

These young coaches see what he has done with the other ones and want to be a part of history.

 

[bama alum]

Saban getting the young, energetic coaches! Maybe they will stay a while!

That'd be great!

 

[Matt Zenitz | mzenitz@al.com]

"I love Coach Golding. He really taught me a lot about the game and made me better understand football."

A big smile spread across Marcus Davenport's face as soon as he heard Pete Golding's name on Tuesday.

Golding, one of Alabama's new assistants, coached Davenport at Texas-San Antonio. And Davenport, a defensive end that could go in the top-10 of this year's NFL draft, offered some insight into what the Crimson Tide is getting in his former defensive coordinator.

"I think UTSA lost a great coach," Davenport said. "I love Coach Golding. He really taught me a lot about the game and made me better understand football. ... I love Coach Golding."

Though Alabama has yet to announce Golding's role, it looks likely that Golding will be a co-defensive coordinator and coach the Tide's inside linebackers.

Under Golding, UTSA ranked seventh nationally in total defense last season and eighth in scoring defense.

That's even more noteworthy considering UTSA ranked 101stnationally in total defense in 2015, the year before Golding took over as the team's defensive coordinator.

"He made us smarter," Davenport said. "There were times where he would ask us how we felt about the game and we would be able to give our input and actually be able to learn and adjust ourselves. ... Alabama got a great one."

Continue reading...

 

[By Alex Byington Sports Writer]

MOBILE — As usual, Nick Saban wasn’t revealing during his annual Senior Bowl visit to Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Amid multiple reports he’d filled out his 10-member coaching staff, Alabama's head coach declined to elaborate Wednesday afternoon on any additions.

“I’ll elaborate on it when I’m ready to elaborate on it. That’s called a release,” Saban said. “Is that all right with you? Good.”

Since the end of the season, Alabama’s coaching staff has dealt with considerable turnover, including offensive and defensive coordinators. The team has announced the additions only of new special teams coach Jeff Banks and defensive assistant Pete Golding.

There have been multiple reports indicating Saban has promoted current co-offensive coordinator Mike Locksley to full-time play caller to replace Brian Daboll, who left to become the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator last week.

“Brian did a great job for us. We’re happy for him,” Saban said. “He’s obviously ended up a lot better off for having come to our place, being a coordinator for a year and doing a great job. Now he has an opportunity to be a coordinator in the NFL. We’re happy for him and his family.”

Without confirming the promotion, Saban praised Locksley for his help in developing Alabama’s offense the last few seasons, during which he served as both an offensive analyst in 2016 and receivers coach last season.

“He’s been a great addition to our staff,” Saban said. “He’s been a coordinator before, he’s been a head coach, he’s great with the players, he’s a good teacher, he’s a good recruiter. He’s got great knowledge of several offenses. Some of the stuff that we do were things he was able to implement and have knowledge of. So we’re excited about what he brings (to the team).”

Alabama has also reportedly added former Louisiana Lafayette defensive coordinator Karl Scott as the team’s new defensive backs coach, and former Penn State receivers coach Josh Gattis to the same role with the Tide, though there’s been no official word from Saban on either.

There have also been reports indicating Saban met with out-of-work former Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze last week about a place on Alabama’s staff — be it on or off the field.

“Uh, I don’t really have a comment on that right now,” Saban said. “I think Hugh Freeze is a really good coach, so we’ll keep evaluating and try to make our staff as strong as we can make it.”

--

Injured starters are 'good'

Saban said a pair of injured starters were “good” and “doing well” in their rehabilitation from late-season injuries.

Offensive tackle Jonah Williams and outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings were spotted in walking boots and using crutches during the team’s national championship celebration Saturday.

Jennings underwent knee surgery prior to the national championship game after suffering an injury late in the Sugar Bowl win over Clemson, while Williams went down early in the second half of the national championship game with an undisclosed injury.

“We’re not doing anything right now, but I think both guys are doing well,” Saban said.

Decatur Daily—Continue reading...

 

[TUSKtimes]

3 weeks after the NC and we still are not sure what happened to Jonah Williams. For everyone that thought this injury stuff gets withheld from the public because of competitive advantage can forget it. I do believe coach Saban just loves a mystery.

 

[TerryP]

There are reports Saban is still talking with Dan Enos (who recently accepted a job at Michigan as their receivers coach.)

 

[50+yeartidefan]

3 weeks after the NC and we still are not sure what happened to Jonah Williams. For everyone that thought this injury stuff gets withheld from the public because of competitive advantage can forget it. I do believe coach Saban just loves a mystery.

Well...legally i wonder if they could/should discuss injuries...just a thought...

 

[colbyjacks]

There are reports Saban is still talking with Dan Enos (who recently accepted a job at Michigan as their receivers coach.)

Is it weird, the coaching progression he has made the last 8 years? Central Michigan HC to Arkansas OC to Michigan WR coach. Seems like a downward trend.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Well...legally i wonder if they could/should discuss injuries...just a thought...

Not sure what you mean by legal? Just tell me where it hurts.

 

[TerryP]

Is it weird, the coaching progression he has made the last 8 years? Central Michigan HC to Arkansas OC to Michigan WR coach. Seems like a downward trend.

At a cursory glance I'd agree. It was an odd move to see a HC move to an OC position (there's one more that's happened in the last few years but I can't recall who it was.) There were a few factors for the move. One, the AD at CMU wasn't publically supporting Enos and had basically scoffed at the idea of extending his contract. He was in year two of a four year deal. One thing to keep in mind is he was making a little over 350K at CMU and while I don't recall the exact number I remember he got a raise for taking the UArk job--over 200K is what I'm thinking it was.

Then we have Bielema getting fired and Enos is back on the job market. The only official word I've seen from Michigan is he's working with the offense. Back in early January the word was Michigan planned on using two offensive coordinators and speculation was it was Enos and Sherrone Moore. In his contract with Michigan he's listed as WR/Assistant head coach. If he gets the coordinator title his pay jumps to $750K (versus the $150,000 for WR coaching position.)

NOW...if Harbaugh is stringing him along, or has strung him along, and he's not getting the OC title I can see him jumping ship, quickly. On the other hand, if he gets the OC title now we're looking at career growth.

360K to 500K to 750K (and no discernable step backwards.)

 

[TerryP]

Not sure what you mean by legal? Just tell me where it hurts.

HIPPA

 

[TUSKtimes]

HIPPA

It didn't verbally retrain coach Saban from telling Bama nation that Jennings hurt his knee before they got out of the locker. HIPPA is like trying to discuss 1st amendment rights.

 

[TerryP]

It didn't verbally retrain coach Saban from telling Bama nation that Jennings hurt his knee before they got out of the locker. HIPPA is like trying to discuss 1st amendment rights.

There's an age difference between the two along with we don't know what has been stipulated in terms of Williams privacy and Jennings when it comes to being "the age of majority." If it truly is an issue as @50+yeartidefan mentions it's likely revolving around these issues.

 

[colbyjacks]

Enos coming on now?