Nick Saban made a good hire in Austin Armstrong for the University of Alabama but could not keep the fast-rising coach on staff.
Armstrong heads to the Florida Gators to serve as their new defensive coordinator.
He reunites with another former Saban assistant, Billy Napier.
Armstrong’s exit creates an opening for an inside linebackers coach. Saban has three former players – Ha’Sean “HaHa” Clinton-Dix, Josh Chapman, and Denzel Devall – in player development roles, so why not reinvest in the program? Two names that would be good to replace Armstrong are Nico Johnson and Shaun Dion Hamilton. Both won national championships for the Tide.
Both are in the coaching world, know the expectations of Saban and the program, and Saban needs to immediately call them to get the inside linebackers running through people again.
Nico Johnson
Nico Johnson, a native of Andalusia, Ala., played inside linebacker for Saban at Alabama from 2009 to 2012.
He arrived as a four-star recruit in 2009 from Andalusia High School and became one of the most underrated linebackers of the Saban era. Johnson was impactful as a freshman, posting 28 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble – earning All-SEC Freshman Team honors in 2009. He assisted the Crimson Tide to an SEC Championship and its first national championship since 1992. Johnson increased his production each season, including a career-high 55 tackles during his senior year in 2012. He helped the defense achieve back-to-back BCS National Championships in 2011 and 2012 before turning pro in 2013.
Johnson bounced around to four NFL teams in three years before getting into coaching.
He is now a defensive graduate assistant for the Texas Longhorns, helping with defensive linemen. His first season was last year, and Johnson aided a group that allowed nearly 10 points per game less (9.5) than in 2021. Texas allowed 31.1 points per contest in 2021 but surrendered 21.6 points per contest last season. Johnson was a highly instinctive linebacker at Alabama and is starting to have success as a coach. He brings a lot of mental toughness to know how to fight through adversity. Johnson would greatly motivate and get a lot out of players.
Shaun Dion Hamilton
Shaun Dion Hamilton, a native of Montgomery, Ala., played inside linebacker for the Crimson Tide from 2014 to 2017.
He came as a four-star prospect from Carver High School. Hamilton is very bright and underrated.
After getting his feet wet in 2014 and 2015, Hamilton became a starter in 2016 for Alabama’s defense.
He called out the signals as the middle “Mike” linebacker, allowing Reuben Foster to fly around the field and make bone-shattering hits. Hamilton cracked heads that year before suffering a knee injury. He posted 64 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, a pass breakup, a quarterback hurry, a forced fumble, and two interceptions. Hamilton aided the Tide to two College Football Playoff National Championships in 2015 and 2017 while pacing it to three SEC Championships in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
He had a short stint in the NFL, but he is now a defensive staffer for the Detroit Lions.
Hamilton has assisted head coach Dan Campbell in turning the Lions around. Detroit had a winning season (9-8) in 2022 despite missing the playoffs. He coached defensive backs at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, and Hamilton paid homage to Nick Saban for the work he puts in as a coach. Hamilton, like Johnson, would provide that toughness gene to Alabama’s linebacker room.
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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.
