Another former Alabama player from the Nick Saban era is rising as a coach.
Derek Kief, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio., came to the University of Alabama as a four-star wide receiver in 2014.
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He played in 51 career games from 2014 to 2018, helping the Crimson Tide capture two College Football Playoff National Championships (2015 and 2017) and four Southeastern Conference Championships (2014-16, 2018). Kief served as a graduate assistant at the University of Maryland under Michael Locksley in 2021 and wide receivers coach for Towson University in 2022.
He became a senior quality control coach at the University of Arkansas this season, but Kief has been promoted to a bigger opportunity on Sam Pittman’s staff. Dan Enos was fired on Sunday from being the Razorbacks’ offensive coordinator.
After naming an interim play-caller, Pittman announced to reporters in Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference that Kief is the interim wide receivers coach. Pittman said Kief was ‘an easy choice’ to take over at the position.
“He’s a mature guy, has a good relationship with the kids, knows the offense, went through the offense, he knows the terminology,” Pittman said about Kief.
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Kief spent five years under Saban and many practices watching NFL talents such as Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle work their craft. He’s prepared to take Arkansas’ receivers to the next level, and Saban is excited to see one of his guys get an opportunity.
“Derek was a really good player here, a team guy, hard worker,” Saban said Wednesday. “Smart. Doesn’t surprise me that he’s doing really, really well in coaching. So, very driven guy. This is no surprise to me.”
Arkansas is 2-6 after a loss to Mississippi State. Hopefully, Kief can help the Razorbacks salvage its season.
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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.
