TUSCALOOSA, Ala.– On Monday, long-time NFL assistant Brian Daboll and former Philadelphia Eagles director of player personnel Joe Pannunzio were both hired to Alabama’s staff.
After winning five Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and being an offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, Daboll assumes the job as the Tide’s latest offensive play caller and quarterback whisperer.
“We are certainly happy to add a coach the caliber of Brian Daboll to our staff,” Saban said.
“I have known Brian since he worked for us as a GA at Michigan State and he has a fantastic reputation in the coaching profession. He brings a tremendous work ethic to the job and has a wealth of football knowledge. Brian is a great teacher of the game, and someone who can relate well to our players. We are excited to welcome Brian, his wife Beth and their family to Tuscaloosa.”
Along with mentoring Patriots’ tight ends Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett, Daboll aided quarterback Brett Favre (Jets), running back Reggie Bush (Dolphins, 1,086 yards) and wide receiver Brandon Marshall (Dolphins, 1,214 yards) to productive numbers. Prior to the NFL, Daboll was a volunteer assistant at the College of Williams and Mary in 1997 and a graduate assistant on Saban’s staff at Michigan State from 1998-99.
Sep 14, 2013; College Station, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide director of football operations Joe Pannunzio before the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports
Pannunzio returns as the Tide’s special teams and tight ends coach.
Before the NFL, Pannunzio served as Alabama’s director of football operations from 2011-2014. He assisted the program to earning two Southeastern Conference championships, two BCS national titles (2011, 2012) and a berth in the first-ever College Football Playoff in 2014. During his coaching stops at Texas Christian University, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Auburn and Miami (Fla.), Pannunzio worked solely with special teams and tight ends. In his stint with the Hurricanes (2006-10), he helped Greg Olsen make an NFL roster and guided Deadrick Epps to 41 catches for 551 yards and five touchdowns combined in his junior and senior seasons.
Both Daboll and Pannunzio enter a Tide program in search of its 17th national championship.
***All information above comes via press release from UA’s athletic department of communications***
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 @Smsmith_TDALMag.
