Last season, Nick Saban thought he had the coaching staff that would be with him for the long haul at the University of Alabama.
With their minds occupied on other jobs during the most critical part of the year, Saban decided to the pull the plug for a second straight offseason. He dropped the fresh-faced recruiters and returned to what made the Crimson Tide a feared school in its early run of national titles.
He hired assistants with experience and those who specialize at specific positions.
Defensively, the force of Sal Sunseri, Brian Baker, Charles Kelly and Pete Golding (not to mention Karl Scott, cornerbacks) combine for 100+ years of coaching tenure.
Even with Golding being younger than the others, he carries nine years of experience as a defensive coordinator – prior to his arrival.
When it comes to offense, Saban welcomed the quarterback savant in Steve Sarkisian back to the program. He coached eleven 3,000+ yard passing seasons, regardless if it was college or the National Football League.
Pairing him with Charles Huff (running backs), Holmon Wiggins (wide receivers) and Kyle Flood (offensive line) spells balance for a group that wants to impose its will on opposing defenses in the fall.
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Saban is happy to have all the coaches; however, one former Tide player singled-out both coordinators as a reason for the team returning to the “Bama factor.” Matt Caddell, a wide receiver from 2003 to 2007 with the Tide, said Sarkisian “brings a lot to the table.”
“With him, we will get back to being more balanced,” Caddell said of Sarkisian. “We can go back to controlling the game and letting our defense do what they do. I think Sarkisian will utilize the tight ends from a prostyle perspective and get them matched up more on linebackers. When he was with the Falcons, they finished sixth in the league in scoring and yardage.”
Despite the run-pass option (RPO’s) scheme of Michael Locksley aiding Alabama to a Southeastern Conference Championship and allowing Tua Tagovailoa to produce Heisman-caliber numbers as a first-year starting quarterback, Caddell said the offense was “too predictable” at times and it led to Clemson affecting the Tide in the postseason.
As for Tagovailoa, Caddell said Sark will prepare him for the NFL.
In terms of Sal Sunseri, the receiver that started Alabama’s run of national championships with a game-winning catch versus Arkansas in 2007 said the hire of Sunseri was what the team needed upfront.
Alabama OLB coach Sal Sunseri with linebackers in spring practice for 2019: Photo from Justin Smith – Touchdown Alabama Magazine
“As a whole, he brings that Bama factor,” Caddell said of Sunseri.
“He brings that no nonsense, we are coming to be physical, we are coming to let you know that we are Alabama type of mentality. Psychologically, with Sunseri, Coach Baker and Pete Golding, they will instill that mindset into the players. I was watching the spring game and Sal Sunseri had those guys in attack mode.”
Sunseri was at Alabama once before as a linebackers’ coach from 2009-11.
He coached groups that combined for 88 sacks, one SEC title and two national championships in three years. With more to work with than he had then, expect for Sunseri to get maximum effort and potentially have the first 60-sack defense of the Saban era.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
