Nick Saban has heard the cries of Alabama fans, criticism from doubters, and chants of “dynasty” from Georgia fans.
He is reinvesting in the Crimson Tide’s football program. Each offseason hire to Saban’s coaching staff has been an interesting one, but one he needed. The 71-year-old added youth with Austin Armstrong (32 years old) and Tommy Rees (30 years old) and an experienced veteran with Kevin Steele (64 years old). He has surrounded himself with four special assistants — including a former National Football League head coach, Ken Whisenhunt. Saban has even returned former players to invoke toughness, discipline, excellence, character, effort, pride, and a dominant mentality into the program. Ha’Sean “HaHa” Clinton-Dix was an All-American safety at Alabama under Saban. As a former five-star from Orlando, Fla., he played for the Tide from 2011 to 2013.
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Clinton-Dix served on back-to-back BCS National Championship teams in 2011 and 2012. He posted four interceptions (shared the team lead) in 2012 and recorded two picks in his Consensus All-American and first-team All-SEC season in 2013.
Reports came during the Allstate Sugar Bowl about Clinton-Dix joining Alabama’s coaching staff after retiring from the NFL, but the Crimson Tide’s staff directory lists him as the “Director of Player Development.” He gets the opportunity to help prepare these young men to be dynamic on the field and great people in the community. Clinton-Dix has wanted to give back to the program that made him who he is. Tide fans enjoyed the player he was on the field, and now he brings the mentality to help these athletes.
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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.
