Here’s the new full-time Alabama staff.
Four full-time coaches left Alabama in the offseason, all for bigger roles.
Lane Kiffin - FAU head coach
Steve Sarkisian - Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator
Billy Napier - Arizona State offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach
Mario Cristobal - Oregon co-offensive coordinator / offensive line coach
In addition, director of player development
Freddie Roach became Ole Miss’ defensive line coach, director of football operations
Justin Dickens left the program, and graduate assistant
Clint Trickett became FAU’s tight ends coach (after only a few weeks on staff).
So after sitting one drive away from a second straight national championship, the Tide could look quite a bit different next year.
Sarkisian’s stint as offensive coordinator lasted one game. He worked the national title game after Lane Kiffin went to FAU full time. When Sark left, Saban turned to an old friend in
Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach. Daboll was a graduate assistant under Saban from 1998-99 at Michigan State. From 2009-12, he was an offensive coordinator with the Browns, Dolphins and Chiefs. He spent the last four years with the Patriots.
Cristobal coached tight ends and tackles last season. When he left for Oregon, Brent Key took over the entire line, and Saban hired a familiar face in
Joe Pannuzio as tight ends coach / special teams coordinator. Pannuzio spent the last three years with the Philadelphia Eagles, but was Alabama’s director of football operations from 2011-13. That came after five years coaching tight ends and special teams at Miami (FL) and six years as Murray State head coach.
Mike Locksley was also promoted from analyst to full-time coach, and now officially has the title of co-offensive coordinator / wide receivers coach, continuing the trend of Alabama serving as a rehabilitation for former head coaches. Locksley spent one year as an analyst and was previously the offensive coordinator / interim head coach at Maryland and head coach at New Mexico.
The reworked offensive staff will have reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback Jalen Hurts, who will be a sophomore, and running back Bo Scarborough will be coming back from a leg injury suffered in the national title game.