High school coaches surrounding Tuscaloosa will be at Coleman Coliseum on April 6-8.
The University of Alabama football program will host the annual Clinic of Champions and this year, a quartet of marquee college and NFL head coaches—Ken Niumatalolo, David Cutcliffe, Bill O’Brien and Dan Quinn—will headline the event. Nick Saban and members from the Crimson Tide’s staff will also address the crowd, as coaches intend to gleam practical information to use in building toward success both on and off the field.
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Ken Niumatalolo enters his 11th year as head coach of the Naval Academy. He’s compiled a 77-42 record, including a 20-7 mark with the team in its transition from an independent to a school in the American Athletic Conference in 2015-16. Throughout his tenure, Niumatalolo has had one losing season (2011, 5-7). He’s coached Navy to eight bowl appearances, since taking the job as interim coach in 2007 during its bowl game.
While he’s well noted for grooming both Peyton (Tennessee) and Eli Manning (Ole Miss) for the National Football League, David Cutcliffe enters his 10th season at the helm at Duke University. After encountering some struggles from 2008 to 2011, Cutcliffe produced four straight bowl teams from 2012 to 2015.
In 2013, the Blue Devils finished first in the Atlantic Coast Conference (Coastal) with a 10-4 record. Duke would have winning seasons in the following two years, before going 4-8 in 2016. Cutcliffe also aided the likes of quarterbacks Heath Shuler, Erik Ainge, Thaddeus Lewis and Sean Renfree to the NFL.
He did not win Super Bowl 51, but Dan Quinn elevated the play of Atlanta’s defense in his first year as head coach. Having an edge rusher in Vic Beasley with offensive talent like Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman, helped the Falcons win an NFC title. Prior to Atlanta, Quinn was on Pete Carroll’s staff at Seattle as defensive coordinator from 2013 to 2014. He assisted the Seahawks to victory in Super Bowl 48 in 2013.
Saban will always have a soft spot for Bill Belichick assistants.
Before he became head coach of the Houston Texans, Bill O’Brien served as offensive assistant, wide receivers coach, quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots (2007-11). He would return to college football in 2012 and coached the Penn State Nittany Lions for two seasons. Even with the program on a postseason ban, O’Brien led the team to winning campaigns in 2012 and 2013. His success in 2012 (8-4) earned him Big Ten Coach of Year, Maxwell Coach of the Year and the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award.
Under O’Brien, the Texans captured an AFC South division title in the last two seasons.
He is an offensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings, but Tony Sparano has achieved success as the head man at a couple of programs. He compiled a 41-14-1 record at New Haven from 1994-98, while guiding the team to a berth in the NCAA Division II title game in 1997.
In the NFL, Sparano coached the Miami Dolphins to an 11-5 mark in 2008.
It usurped Belichick’s Patriots for first place in the AFC East, despite losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild-Card Game. Throughout his career, he has served at offensive line coach, tight ends coach, running game coordinator, assistant head coach and offensive quality control coach.
Registration for the event is $60 and more information can be found on rolltide.com.
Stephen M. Smith is a managing editor and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
