Nick Saban has a month to prepare for Jim Harbaugh and Michigan, and it allows him to put pieces in play.
The head football coach for the University of Alabama decided to hire a former linebackers coach of the Wolverines.
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Saban hired George Helow, 36, who spent two seasons (2021-22) on Harbaugh’s staff. Helow assisted Michigan to two Big Ten Conference Championships in 2021 and 2022. He mentored several talented players, including a pair of linebackers — Josh Ross and Junior Colson — who had 100+ tackles in his two years of coaching. Helow watched Hassan Haskins (2021) and Blake Corum (2022) become 1,000+ yard running backs in back-to-back seasons. He knows how Michigan wants to attack Alabama, so Helow will help the Tide’s defense properly game plan for the Rose Bowl. The addition of him to Alabama’s coaching staff provides more attention to detail to be successful. Whether he works with outside linebackers or is analyst for the contest against Michigan, Helow’s knowledge of the Wolverines puts Alabama in a position to shut down whatever wrinkle Harbaugh could toss in.
Saban wants his eighth national championship of his coaching tenure.
He needs one more to on top of Paul W. “Bear” Bryant for the most in Alabama football history. The 72-year-old is all in on creating an advantage for his team, and adding a former Michigan defensive assistant does it. Alabama has to execute its game plan in the College Football Playoff Semifinal, but having someone that knows Harbaugh’s mindset going in helps a lot.
We will see how Helow assists Kevin Steele and the Tide’s defense staff to dominate the Wolverines.
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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.
