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Michael Casagrande |
Brian Daboll isn't like Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian.
Something's different. That's quickly clear.
No longer is Lane Kiffin patrolling the quarterbacks warm up routine in the baggy gray sweat suit. Brian Daboll won't be easily confused for his high-profile predecessor either.
After a three-year run with Kiffin and about two months of Steve Sarkisian, Nick Saban went a different route for the next offensive coordinator. Daboll arrived as something of an enigma to the Alabama following. He's been outside the college football orbit since serving as a Saban graduate assistant back in the Michigan State days.
While Kiffin and Sarkisian came to Alabama with more notoriety than they would've probably preferred, Daboll still remains somewhat of an unknown outside the four walls of the football complex. A few of his players were able to shed some light on what Daboll is and how he coaches.
"I feel like I have a personal relationship with him already even though he's only been here for a couple of months," said tight end Hale Hentges. "So that's something that I really enjoy. Just getting to work with him. Just getting to know him better and something that I hope to just continue to grow and foster this personal relationship that I have with him."
Like all coordinators and assistant coaches, Daboll doesn't do interviews. He's been an offensive coordinator with three NFL teams -- the Browns, Dolphins and Chiefs.
"Every coach has a different coaching style," Alabama running back Damien Harris said. "Everybody has their own personality, their own persona that they bring. But he's a real high-intensity guy, and he really emphasizes attention to detail, focus, high energy on the field, attention to detail in the meetings. So, he just brings those good qualities to our offense, and I think he's done a great job coaching us and we all enjoy him, so I think things will go smoothly in the future."
The FAQs on new Alabama offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
Daboll spent 10 years in two separate tenures coaching for the New England Patriots.
Can they see any Bill Belichick in his protege?
"He's definitely different," a smiling Hentges said. "Belichick is a one of a kind person. He's funny. He's got a good sense of humor. He is always really positive in his meetings. He's upbeat."
And there's a real, yet big goal in place.
"He says, 'OK guys, this is what we're going to do," Hentges said. "Alabama has always been about defense but we want to start making it more about offense. We want Alabama to be known for great offense.' That's something that he's said to us, preached to us. That's something I've responded to really positively."
It took a little time to adjust.
"The first couple of days weren't necessarily perfect," Harris said. "But we had to come to the conclusion that when you have so many knew moving parts, it's not going to be that way. But if you continue to work on them, then things will get better. And as time has gone on, things have gotten better for us, and (we're) doing what he's asking us to do, and him coaching us the way he needs to coach us. I think things are going better."
Daboll's arrival in late February brought stability to an interesting few months. First, Kiffin took the FAU job in December with the idea of coaching through the playoffs. After the Peach Bowl, Steve Sarkisian was handed the playbook and Kiffin went to Boca Raton a game early.
That lasted two months since the Atlanta Falcons hired Sarkisian to be its offensive coordinator two days after losing the Super Bowl.
Though not ideal, Harris acknowledged the situation was out of their hands and he trusted Saban's management of it all.
Brian Daboll, Alabama's new offensive coordinator, helped Cleveland stun the New England Patriots back on Nov. 7, 2010.
Hentges offered a specific observation he made about Daboll's interactions with the three young quarterbacks.
"Personally, I've just seen a guy who really cares about his quarterbacks," he said. "Whether it's at practice or in the meeting room, he's always taking them under his wing and saying, 'What were you seeing on this read?' or 'Why'd you throw that ball?' or 'Hey, that was a great pass.'
"Even at practice I always see him complimenting guys, questioning guys, just really trying to be interactive with them and teach them why they're doing these things or why they shouldn't be doing these things. From that aspect, I can tell he's really hands on."
Every offensive coordinator under Saban has also served as the quarterbacks coach. Daboll's style isn't like the others Hentges has seen in Tuscaloosa.
"I mean, it's definitely different," the tight end said. "Each coach has their own unique niche that they like to do. Daboll, I can tell he's all about the players and he's extremely hands on. That's something that I personally really love. I think you're going to continue to see that and just see how we all have personal relationships with him."
Continue reading...
Something's different. That's quickly clear.
No longer is Lane Kiffin patrolling the quarterbacks warm up routine in the baggy gray sweat suit. Brian Daboll won't be easily confused for his high-profile predecessor either.
After a three-year run with Kiffin and about two months of Steve Sarkisian, Nick Saban went a different route for the next offensive coordinator. Daboll arrived as something of an enigma to the Alabama following. He's been outside the college football orbit since serving as a Saban graduate assistant back in the Michigan State days.
While Kiffin and Sarkisian came to Alabama with more notoriety than they would've probably preferred, Daboll still remains somewhat of an unknown outside the four walls of the football complex. A few of his players were able to shed some light on what Daboll is and how he coaches.
"I feel like I have a personal relationship with him already even though he's only been here for a couple of months," said tight end Hale Hentges. "So that's something that I really enjoy. Just getting to work with him. Just getting to know him better and something that I hope to just continue to grow and foster this personal relationship that I have with him."
Like all coordinators and assistant coaches, Daboll doesn't do interviews. He's been an offensive coordinator with three NFL teams -- the Browns, Dolphins and Chiefs.
"Every coach has a different coaching style," Alabama running back Damien Harris said. "Everybody has their own personality, their own persona that they bring. But he's a real high-intensity guy, and he really emphasizes attention to detail, focus, high energy on the field, attention to detail in the meetings. So, he just brings those good qualities to our offense, and I think he's done a great job coaching us and we all enjoy him, so I think things will go smoothly in the future."
The FAQs on new Alabama offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
Daboll spent 10 years in two separate tenures coaching for the New England Patriots.
Can they see any Bill Belichick in his protege?
"He's definitely different," a smiling Hentges said. "Belichick is a one of a kind person. He's funny. He's got a good sense of humor. He is always really positive in his meetings. He's upbeat."
And there's a real, yet big goal in place.
"He says, 'OK guys, this is what we're going to do," Hentges said. "Alabama has always been about defense but we want to start making it more about offense. We want Alabama to be known for great offense.' That's something that he's said to us, preached to us. That's something I've responded to really positively."
It took a little time to adjust.
"The first couple of days weren't necessarily perfect," Harris said. "But we had to come to the conclusion that when you have so many knew moving parts, it's not going to be that way. But if you continue to work on them, then things will get better. And as time has gone on, things have gotten better for us, and (we're) doing what he's asking us to do, and him coaching us the way he needs to coach us. I think things are going better."
Daboll's arrival in late February brought stability to an interesting few months. First, Kiffin took the FAU job in December with the idea of coaching through the playoffs. After the Peach Bowl, Steve Sarkisian was handed the playbook and Kiffin went to Boca Raton a game early.
That lasted two months since the Atlanta Falcons hired Sarkisian to be its offensive coordinator two days after losing the Super Bowl.
Though not ideal, Harris acknowledged the situation was out of their hands and he trusted Saban's management of it all.
Brian Daboll, Alabama's new offensive coordinator, helped Cleveland stun the New England Patriots back on Nov. 7, 2010.
Hentges offered a specific observation he made about Daboll's interactions with the three young quarterbacks.
"Personally, I've just seen a guy who really cares about his quarterbacks," he said. "Whether it's at practice or in the meeting room, he's always taking them under his wing and saying, 'What were you seeing on this read?' or 'Why'd you throw that ball?' or 'Hey, that was a great pass.'
"Even at practice I always see him complimenting guys, questioning guys, just really trying to be interactive with them and teach them why they're doing these things or why they shouldn't be doing these things. From that aspect, I can tell he's really hands on."
Every offensive coordinator under Saban has also served as the quarterbacks coach. Daboll's style isn't like the others Hentges has seen in Tuscaloosa.
"I mean, it's definitely different," the tight end said. "Each coach has their own unique niche that they like to do. Daboll, I can tell he's all about the players and he's extremely hands on. That's something that I personally really love. I think you're going to continue to see that and just see how we all have personal relationships with him."
Continue reading...
