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imported_Porter
Sal Sunseri has accepted a position on BAMA's staff.
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Guest
His son plays QB at Pitt.
Given that he coached for Saban before, I don't see recruiting as being a concern.
edit:
From a scout recruiting article about Tito Sunseri:
"Sal Sunseri was an All-American linebacker for Pitt and he’s currently the defensive line coach for the Carolina Panthers.
Before taking his post at Carolina, Coach Sal was known as one of the top college football recruiters in the country at Michigan State and LSU."
Given that he coached for Saban before, I don't see recruiting as being a concern.
edit:
From a scout recruiting article about Tito Sunseri:
"Sal Sunseri was an All-American linebacker for Pitt and he’s currently the defensive line coach for the Carolina Panthers.
Before taking his post at Carolina, Coach Sal was known as one of the top college football recruiters in the country at Michigan State and LSU."
From Estes:
Carolina Panthers defensive line coach Sal Sunseri has been hired to fill one of two vacancies on Alabama's defensive coaching staff, a source close to the situation told the Press-Register tonight.
Sunseri previously coached during the 2000 season under Nick Saban at LSU. He joined the Panthers' staff in 2002 after a year at Michigan State under coach Bobby Williams, who is currently an offensive assistant at Alabama.
A former All-American linebacker at Pitt, Sunseri is expected to coach linebackers for the Crimson Tide.
Carolina Panthers defensive line coach Sal Sunseri has been hired to fill one of two vacancies on Alabama's defensive coaching staff, a source close to the situation told the Press-Register tonight.
Sunseri previously coached during the 2000 season under Nick Saban at LSU. He joined the Panthers' staff in 2002 after a year at Michigan State under coach Bobby Williams, who is currently an offensive assistant at Alabama.
A former All-American linebacker at Pitt, Sunseri is expected to coach linebackers for the Crimson Tide.
BIO:
After sending three of four starters to at least one Pro Bowl since becoming defensive line coach in 2003, Sal Sunseri provides a perfect fit as the Panthers rework the unit. Defensive end Mike Rucker, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and defensive end Julius Peppers all made the Pro Bowl under Sunseri's tutelage, but only Peppers remains from that group in 2008. A number of young players will contend for the vacated spots with Sunseri overseeing the project. History is on his side since the Panthers have ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed four of Sunseri's six seasons with Carolina.
In more years than not, the defensive line has provided more than its share of superlatives. In 2006, the Panthers ranked seventh in yards allowed and seventh in sacks per play as two members of the starting unit, Peppers and Jenkins, were selected to the NFC Pro Bowl squad. In 2005, Carolina finished third in yards allowed, fourth against the rush and fifth in sacks per pass play.
After struggling through the first half of the 2004 season, the play of the defensive line ignited a late season surge in the final eight games. The defense recorded 23 sacks, and Peppers was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November en route to earning consensus All-Pro recognition and his first Pro Bowl selection.
Beginning as a defensive assistant in 2002, Sunseri took over the Panthers defensive line a year later when Mike Trgovac was named defensive coordinator. It was a seamless transition as the Panthers defensive line remained one of the best in the NFL in 2003 under Sunseri. Carolina ranked eighth in overall defense, 11th against the run and seventh in sacks per pass play. The defensive line accounted for 32.5 of the team's 40 total sacks and also produced a pair of Pro Bowl players in Jenkins and Rucker.
Sunseri has produced at least one Pro Bowl player in four of five seasons as defensive line coach, highlighted by Peppers' three consecutive trips to Hawaii from 2004-2006. However, his best work may be in nurturing young players, such as Jordan Carstens, a former undrafted free agent who became an effective starter before being sidelined with an illness. In two consecutive seasons, Carstens replaced an injured Jenkins, but the line remained one of the League's best despite the loss.
Coming to Carolina from Michigan State, Sunseri worked as the Spartans linebackers coach and special teams coordinator in 2001 after spending 2000 at Louisiana State in the same capacity. He coached at Alabama A&M in 1998 and 1999 as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach following three seasons from 1995-97 at the University of Louisville as linebackers coach. Working his way up the coaching ladder, Sunseri spent one year each at Illinois State as defensive coordinator in 1994 and Iowa Wesleyan as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and special teams coach in 1993. He broke into coaching at his alma mater, Pittsburgh, in 1985 and coached defensive line and linebackers before being named assistant head coach in 1992.
Playing and Personal
Sunseri had a storybook career at the University of Pittsburgh, earning a spot as a walk-on and ending his tenure with the Panthers as a team captain and consensus All-America as a senior in 1981. A three-year starter at linebacker for head coach Jackie Sherrill, he helped the Panthers to a combined record of 33-3 and anchored a defensive unit that led the NCAA in total defense in 1980 and 1981. He won Defensive MVP honors in the 1982 Senior Bowl and was drafted in the 10th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers but had his pro career cut short by a knee injury in training camp. In 1982, he received a bachelor's degree in communications.
Married to the former Roxann Evans, who was a varsity gymnast at Pittsburgh, the couple has two daughters, Jaclyn and Ashlyn, and two sons, Santino, who is a freshman and plays football at Pittsburgh, and Vinnie.
History
Linebacker University of Pittsburgh 1978-81. College coach: Pittsburgh 1985-92, Iowa Wesleyan 1993, Illinois State 1994, Louisville 1995-97, Alabama A&M 1998-99, Louisiana State 2000, Michigan State 2001. Pro coach: joined Panthers in 2002.
After sending three of four starters to at least one Pro Bowl since becoming defensive line coach in 2003, Sal Sunseri provides a perfect fit as the Panthers rework the unit. Defensive end Mike Rucker, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and defensive end Julius Peppers all made the Pro Bowl under Sunseri's tutelage, but only Peppers remains from that group in 2008. A number of young players will contend for the vacated spots with Sunseri overseeing the project. History is on his side since the Panthers have ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed four of Sunseri's six seasons with Carolina.
In more years than not, the defensive line has provided more than its share of superlatives. In 2006, the Panthers ranked seventh in yards allowed and seventh in sacks per play as two members of the starting unit, Peppers and Jenkins, were selected to the NFC Pro Bowl squad. In 2005, Carolina finished third in yards allowed, fourth against the rush and fifth in sacks per pass play.
After struggling through the first half of the 2004 season, the play of the defensive line ignited a late season surge in the final eight games. The defense recorded 23 sacks, and Peppers was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November en route to earning consensus All-Pro recognition and his first Pro Bowl selection.
Beginning as a defensive assistant in 2002, Sunseri took over the Panthers defensive line a year later when Mike Trgovac was named defensive coordinator. It was a seamless transition as the Panthers defensive line remained one of the best in the NFL in 2003 under Sunseri. Carolina ranked eighth in overall defense, 11th against the run and seventh in sacks per pass play. The defensive line accounted for 32.5 of the team's 40 total sacks and also produced a pair of Pro Bowl players in Jenkins and Rucker.
Sunseri has produced at least one Pro Bowl player in four of five seasons as defensive line coach, highlighted by Peppers' three consecutive trips to Hawaii from 2004-2006. However, his best work may be in nurturing young players, such as Jordan Carstens, a former undrafted free agent who became an effective starter before being sidelined with an illness. In two consecutive seasons, Carstens replaced an injured Jenkins, but the line remained one of the League's best despite the loss.
Coming to Carolina from Michigan State, Sunseri worked as the Spartans linebackers coach and special teams coordinator in 2001 after spending 2000 at Louisiana State in the same capacity. He coached at Alabama A&M in 1998 and 1999 as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach following three seasons from 1995-97 at the University of Louisville as linebackers coach. Working his way up the coaching ladder, Sunseri spent one year each at Illinois State as defensive coordinator in 1994 and Iowa Wesleyan as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and special teams coach in 1993. He broke into coaching at his alma mater, Pittsburgh, in 1985 and coached defensive line and linebackers before being named assistant head coach in 1992.
Playing and Personal
Sunseri had a storybook career at the University of Pittsburgh, earning a spot as a walk-on and ending his tenure with the Panthers as a team captain and consensus All-America as a senior in 1981. A three-year starter at linebacker for head coach Jackie Sherrill, he helped the Panthers to a combined record of 33-3 and anchored a defensive unit that led the NCAA in total defense in 1980 and 1981. He won Defensive MVP honors in the 1982 Senior Bowl and was drafted in the 10th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers but had his pro career cut short by a knee injury in training camp. In 1982, he received a bachelor's degree in communications.
Married to the former Roxann Evans, who was a varsity gymnast at Pittsburgh, the couple has two daughters, Jaclyn and Ashlyn, and two sons, Santino, who is a freshman and plays football at Pittsburgh, and Vinnie.
History
Linebacker University of Pittsburgh 1978-81. College coach: Pittsburgh 1985-92, Iowa Wesleyan 1993, Illinois State 1994, Louisville 1995-97, Alabama A&M 1998-99, Louisiana State 2000, Michigan State 2001. Pro coach: joined Panthers in 2002.
man, i just dont understand this. All the Barners have told me what a horrible guy that Nick Saban is. He is the only coach in the country whose assistants leave for other jobs. He is horrible to work for, a slave driver, a jerk, a task master, a micromanaging megalomaniac.
So why would someone who has worked for him in the past choose to do it again? :roll:
So why would someone who has worked for him in the past choose to do it again? :roll:
I believe that Coach Saban probably is difficult to deal with, but people with his level of success do make enemies along the way. Plus, 12-2 and number 1 for 5 weeks deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Great hire for Bama. If the Panthers have been anything the past few seasons, they've been a very good defensive team. I lived in Charlotte for a few years around the turn of the century, and I greatly enjoyed their style of play when Sunsari was brought in. Of course, brining in Peppers didn't hurt either
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Great hire for Bama. If the Panthers have been anything the past few seasons, they've been a very good defensive team. I lived in Charlotte for a few years around the turn of the century, and I greatly enjoyed their style of play when Sunsari was brought in. Of course, brining in Peppers didn't hurt either
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Guest
Guess this debunks all the "Coaches do not follow Saban to another job".
Good hire.
Aubrun fan yesterday was just going on and on about how we can never replace the coaches or players leaving...
I said "Did you say something about the spread and Tony Franklin?"
He just said "never mind" and mumbled something else.
All I could do was laugh and say, losing Andre will hurt but hopefully the line will gel this year with the starters and backups. Hopefully they will have the chemistry to step in and not miss a beat, even if someone on the line goes down.
Good hire.
Aubrun fan yesterday was just going on and on about how we can never replace the coaches or players leaving...
I said "Did you say something about the spread and Tony Franklin?"
He just said "never mind" and mumbled something else.
All I could do was laugh and say, losing Andre will hurt but hopefully the line will gel this year with the starters and backups. Hopefully they will have the chemistry to step in and not miss a beat, even if someone on the line goes down.
Interesting conversation I had today with one of our sports guys at a paper in Louisiana.
Back when Sunseri was at LSU in Saban's first year, he was on a staff with Lance Thompson, Jimbo Fisher, Derek Dooley and Rick Trickett. I'm sure you recognize all of these names because they are considered some of the brightest talents (coaching and recruiting) in college football today.
What struck me as interesting is he told me that the majority in Louisiana considered Sal to be the best recruiter of that group of coaches.
That class, Saban's first year, was the backbone of their first NC year. To be considered the top recruiter on that staff is a compliment...LARGE compliment.
Back when Sunseri was at LSU in Saban's first year, he was on a staff with Lance Thompson, Jimbo Fisher, Derek Dooley and Rick Trickett. I'm sure you recognize all of these names because they are considered some of the brightest talents (coaching and recruiting) in college football today.
What struck me as interesting is he told me that the majority in Louisiana considered Sal to be the best recruiter of that group of coaches.
That class, Saban's first year, was the backbone of their first NC year. To be considered the top recruiter on that staff is a compliment...LARGE compliment.
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