Before spring practice starts for Alabama football, we dive into a new series here at Touchdown Alabama Magazine.
The staff will grade the performances of all on-field coaches, including Nick Saban, for this season. We will dissect grades for leadership, player responsiveness, and overall impact for each coach. The series will lead us into spring action for the Tide.
Holmon Wiggins will now be evaluated as the wide receivers coach.
Holmon Wiggins
-Years at Alabama: 4 years (enters 5th season in the fall)
–Record at Alabama: 0-0
–Previous coaching stop: Virginia Tech (wide receivers coach)
Leadership
Holmon Wiggins coached wide receivers at Memphis and Virginia Tech before coming to Alabama in 2019.
He inherited Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith, Henry Ruggs III, Jaylen Waddle, and John Metchie.
Wiggins helped Smith become a two-time 1,000+ yard receiver (2019-20) and a Heisman Trophy winner in 2020. Jeudy posted over 1,000 yards receiving (1,163) in 2019 under Wiggins. Ruggs and Waddle became first-round selections under Wiggins’ tutelage. Metchie recorded his first 1,000-yard season in 2021 (1,142) with Wiggins. Jameson Williams came to Alabama in 2021 as a transfer from Ohio State and Wiggins helped him become one of the best single-season receivers in Crimson Tide history. Williams had 79 receptions for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns, pushing the Tide to an SEC title.
He’s been able to polish up receivers that have been developed, but Wiggins has yet to recruit and develop his guys.
His leadership was okay with the 2022 room as Jermaine Burton, Ja’Corey Brooks, Kobe Prentice, and Isaiah Bond made plays.
Wiggins did not develop the room the way he would have liked to. He can improve on it next fall.
Grade: C
Players Responsiveness
The responsiveness from players to Holmon Wiggins could have been better in 2022.
Alabama had some players step up in key moments, including Brooks, Burton, Bond, and Prentice, but it was not consistent.
Wiggins saw a ton of dropped passes last year. Traeshon Holden, Aaron Anderson, Christian Leary, and JoJo Earle entered the NCAA transfer portal and are with new teams. Alabama returned Brooks, Burton, Bond, Prentice, Shazz Preston, and Kendrick Law. It also signed more talented receivers, including Malik Benson (junior college transfer), in this recent recruiting cycle.
Hopefully, the playmakers respond better to Wiggins next fall.
Grade: C
Overall Impact
Wiggins had a decent impact in 2022, but it could have been better.
Alabama did not develop a No. 1 receiver for Bryce Young to trust.
It had a receiver or two to step up in a game, but the same guys could not continue the momentum. The Tide will have a new starting quarterback, and it needs to have a receiver it can trust on the field. Alabama did not have a 1,000-yard weapon in 2022 after having two in 2021. Before last year, 2017 was the last year where the Tide did not capture a 1,000-yard receiver.
Wiggins has to start developing receivers to be more consistent.
Grade: C
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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.
