Alabama head coach Nick Saban has a track record for everything. Consistent wins, championship hardware and even tough losses that cannot seem to leave his memory are all stored in his mind. Some of Saban’s process is geared toward relationships.
Those who have worked with college football’s best motivator and mastermind usually present a strong case of linking back with him sooner or later in their careers.
Bobby Williams, Bo Davis and Scott Cochran are prime examples; however, the latest addition is former Georgia defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt. He build a solid group in two seasons at Athens (Ga.), as the Bulldogs allowed 18.8 points per game. Georgia accounted for 49 sacks, with 10.5 coming from outside linebacker Leonard Floyd.
Exceptional secondary play is Pruitt’s specialty. A former Crimson Tide defensive back (1995-96), he has escorted some of the best cornerbacks and safeties to the National Football League. Pruitt was in Tuscaloosa from 2007-12, earning an opportunity to work with Kareem Jackson, Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, Vinnie Sunseri, Ha’Sean “Ha Ha” Clinton-Dix and others. Alabama forced 111 interceptions in Pruitt’s six seasons.
His success as a coach and recruiter with Alabama and Florida State earned him four national championships and three conference titles. The Crimson Tide is projected to lose a lot of quality pieces on its defensive front to next year’s NFL Draft, a perfect challenge for Pruitt to make this secondary elite. Florida State was in a national championship drought for 13 years (1999, last title), until Pruitt arrived in 2013.
He led a defense that allowed 12.1 points per game, while collecting 26 interceptions.
Five of the 26 picks were returned for touchdowns and the Seminoles defeated Auburn 34-31 in the 2014 BCS National Championship Game.
Alabama loses cornerback Cyrus Jones and safety Geno Matias-Smith to graduation, yet it returns a talented roster headlined by defensive back Eddie Jackson. Pruitt’s attention to details and knowledge of Saban’s tactics bodes well for the Crimson Tide. He knows the right buttons to press in getting a secondary to play physical, yet sound.
Pass rush specialists like Tim Williams, Rashaan Evans and Ryan Anderson all will return in 2016, but generating negative plays could be an issue in the absence of A’Shawn Robinson, Jonathan Allen, Jarran Reed and Reggie Ragland.
The combination of Pruitt and defensive backs coach Mel Tucker should be interesting. He is not allowed to coach in the bowl game, but Pruitt is ready to work.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @ESPN_Future.
