| FTBL UA Coordinator/coaching changes— Huxtable joins the Atlanta Falcons organization.

[TerryP]

Link or is this coming from a post/message board?

Saw it somewhere a few days ago.. can’t seem to locate now..

@Brandon Van de Graaff made a comment the other day about Rodney being on JOX and saying "may be trying to hire him at Maryland." I was told in the same interview Rodney also mentioned his OU sources were telling him they still believed Lebby was in play at Alabama. While I haven't heard the interview, I'm confident saying these are two of likely more than a dozen names and schools bantered about on JOX.

Of note: When discussing Pruitt on his own forum, I'm told Rodney never made a Locks and Pruitt connection as something to watch. In fact, two days after his JOX interview he told his forum he didn't expect Pruitt to be DC at Bama this season (NCAA) but could still see him in an analyst role depending on the NCAA's decision.

A thought: After dealing with the shitstorm with Durkin, why would Maryland want to bring in the possibility of another shitstorm with Pruitt.

 

[Justneedme81]

Given that he hired Kevin Steele, it's an easy assumption to make.

SnakeDoc, I don't think it's a right assumption to make though. For every OC he had to make hires over the years, He has interviewed, and not offered job to several people. I don't think he had many people turned him down for OC/DC... It's a moot point because Saban wasn't going to hire someone who was not familiar with his defense system. Saban wanted Pruitt or Schumann all along, and probably had a back up plan should it didn't go through.

OC- He casted wide net everywhere, and I dont' think he offered Grubbs.

Bottom line, he made the right hires for this time.

If Pruitt comes on board as analysts, that's a huge boost to the team and the staff. It'll be a while before we'll know.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

I would love to see our DL get much better as well as our ILBer play. That is the bigger problem at Bama. JMO

Oh and the safety play was average at best and that coach is gone.

 

[SnakeDoc]

SnakeDoc, I don't think it's a right assumption to make though.

I'm not saying it was right. Just that it's not illogical to make the assumption, especially if you don't like the hire and given how the process looked from the outside.

 

[MunchyOs]

Steele isn't the best...nor the worst. Better than Golding, anyway, but that's not saying much at all

 

[SnakeDoc]

Bottom line, he made the right hires for this time.

We'll agree to disagree on that one.

 

[24and7]

I don't believe Nick is done making changes to his staff(defense).

Hopefully a secondary guru

 

[SnakeDoc]

After reading the article, it is very clear that everyone knew they would be Saban's second choice. Otherwise this guy would be at Alabama. He obviously doesn't want to be second choice to Fickell or Pruitt or anyone else.

Can't blame him, either.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

The Pruitt situation might not be resolved until summer. Hope Nick and JP can work a deal for him to come as an off the field guy for this year.

We'll see.

 

[ElephantStomp]

Steele isn't the best...nor the worst. Better than Golding, anyway, but that's not saying much at all

Steele isn’t better than Golding

 

[ElephantStomp]

Watched a Josh Pate video about the Steele hire and his belief is Steele is a stop gap

 

[Justneedme81]

We'll agree to disagree on that one.

What is it about the hire you do not like?

1. We had issue with LB plays in the last few years under Golding. Golding wasn't' disciplined in practice. Steele/Armstrong checks the box. Both brings toughness, and efforts on and off the field.

2. Lack of fundamentals with players- Steele checks that.

3. Steele is an improvement over Golding when it comes to play calling. Golding takes forever to get play call in and had to simplify the plays several times over the year to make it easy. Steele keeps the play calling basic and allow his players to play fast and loose and play hard.

4. Players will play hard for Steele. He's well respected among the players and coaches' circle...



This is the right hire for this time. He's resetting the culture at Alabama...

 

[MunchyOs]

Holy shit, the fan base seems ready to riot over this hire. As someone else pointed out, we could have had Ted Roof or Mike Stoops. No, Steele is not a homerun hire, but was anybody REALLY expecting one?

 

[Justneedme81]

What teams beside Georgia that has similar talents at Alabama?

 

[Justneedme81]

Holy shit, the fan base seems ready to riot over this hire. As someone else pointed out, we could have had Ted Roof or Mike Stoops. Steele is NOT a homerun hire, but was anybody REALLY expecting one?

That's called entitlement. Everyone wanted homerun hire.. but it doesn't exists. Every time we hear, "homerun hire" within NFL, NCAA and NBA.... It never works out. I don't see this as a safe hire, but more of a logical hire. It makes sense. We were missing Bama standard of football... Steele brings that back.

 

[rmctide]

Steele seems fine. Better than some other options that could have been a total failure. Probably a good reason Steele started off strong at Auburn and it wasn’t as good at the end. Auburn’s talent on defense was way better in 2017 than it was in 2020. No DC is going to be able to make chicken salad out of chicken shit.

Miami’s talent on defense was garbage this year…not much dline or secondary talent to go with little depth. Miami had 1 player drafted last year. Their roster blows.

Everyone bringing up the 70 points to WV while Clemson’s DC…that Clemson defense was average talent at best defending Gino Smith, Tavon Austin and Steadman Bailey.

The Rees hire is a good one in my opinion. People want balls thrown to the TE more…it’s about to happen. People want a return to a power run game. It’s about to happen. Step one was last year with Eric Wolford and the new bodies being brought in. This is step two with Rees.

I’m excited to see the two TE sets, the pistol formation, ace formation and to see what he runs off rpo. I think the offense will really be multiple. It won’t be a thrown back to 2010 or 2012. I think it will be closer to a fusion of those years combined with some of the things that worked during Kiffin and Sarks years as OC…up tempo…get your playmaker isolated in space unlike BOB did with his 1991 NY Giants offense.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

IMHO Kevin Steele is an improvement. He has proven himself here & at other schools to be a great DC. Perhaps, more importantly he has shown he knows how to develop monster ILB's, see Rolando McClain & CJ Mosely (partial credit). This point alone is what makes him better than Golding to me because their play calling is about on par with each other. But there has just not been any real moxy at this position for some time & I am hoping Steele, along with Sunseri, can get that back for this unit.

Hopefully our ILB's can see the great opportunity to develop under Steele & they take full advantage of it!

 

[BamaFan334]

I'm just coming out and saying I'm pulled in ten different directions with my thoughts on the hires, so I'm just going to shut up and watch it unfold. Anyone ever thought they'd hear me say that?!? I'm happy we got a couple of guys and can focus on getting better and hopefully seeing improvement where we all felt we were lacking.

Can't wait to watch McClellan, Williams, Haynes, and Young just put blow after blow on defenses to see how tough they really are.

 

[PurlJam]

Holy shit, the fan base seems ready to riot over this hire. As someone else pointed out, we could have had Ted Roof or Mike Stoops. No, Steele is not a homerun hire, but was anybody REALLY expecting one?

Probably need to concentrate on their own jobs instead of screaming over something they have 0 control over. Steeles fine by me, more experienced, been there... of course, again CNS hasn't called and asked for my blessing or my opinions on the matter.

 

[SnakeDoc]

What is it about the hire you do not like?

1. We had issue with LB plays in the last few years under Golding. Golding wasn't' disciplined in practice. Steele/Armstrong checks the box. Both brings toughness, and efforts on and off the field.

2. Lack of fundamentals with players- Steele checks that.

3. Steele is an improvement over Golding when it comes to play calling. Golding takes forever to get play call in and had to simplify the plays several times over the year to make it easy. Steele keeps the play calling basic and allow his players to play fast and loose and play hard.

4. Players will play hard for Steele. He's well respected among the players and coaches' circle...



This is the right hire for this time. He's resetting the culture at Alabama...

I don't like that it's a Saban retread with lessening success over the years.

And, that it's not Jim Leonhard. He was my top choice.