The University of Alabama has its offensive line coach to replace Eric Wolford.
Kalen DeBoer hired Chris Kapilovic, a highly experienced offensive line coach in college football, for the job. He recently took the assistant coach/offensive line position at Baylor, but now he’s headed to Tuscaloosa, Ala. Kapilovic played two years as an offensive tackle (1989-90) for Missouri State University, earning first-team All-Gateway Conference honors as a senior.
BREAKING: Alabama has found its new offensive line coach. pic.twitter.com/MT55FuW56F
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) February 19, 2024
He pushed the program to be a two-time Gateway Conference Champion as the Bears were 19-6 with him on the squad.
Kapilovic started his career as a student assistant at Missouri State, but then he elevated to be an offensive line coach at Deer Valley (Ariz.) High School, Alabama State University, Missouri State, Southern Mississippi, North Carolina, Colorado, and Michigan State. Some of his finest work came at North Carolina, where he propelled Giovani Bernard to be a 1,200-yard (1,228) rusher in 2012 and become a second-round NFL Draft in 2013 to the Cincinnati Bengals. Kapilovic’s offensive lines also helped Elijah Hood rush for 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2015. Kapilovic coached an offensive unit in 2016 that assisted Mitch Trubisky to 3,748 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. Trubisky went on to become the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
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Kapilovic turned Kenneth Walker III into a superstar running back at Michigan State.
Walker had an offensive line under Kapilovic that cleared the way for him to record 1,636 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns in 2021. He earned the Doak Walker Award, Walter Camp Award, and Unanimous All-American honors that season.
Walker went on to be a second-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Some Alabama fans feel the program has a good one with Kapilovic, but others want to wait and see.
The reactions to the new offensive line coach for Alabama are below.
🐐 @CoachCKap https://t.co/uV9lVHzKZs
— Coach A. Gibbs (@CoachAGibbs) February 19, 2024
Roll Tide! https://t.co/Vd4NnTili6
— LC Bama Fam (@LeaNels67173199) February 19, 2024
Great Hire
– Great recruiter all over the east coast, specifically North Carolina. And has gone into many states and landed top talent.
– Has spent time at many P5 programs (and succeeded)
– Has an impressive all-time recruit list. https://t.co/eiTHCt5wfJ— BamaRecruiting247 (@NoahDzik_) February 19, 2024
Coached that OL that had Doak Walker award winner Kenneth Walker III. Helped MSU finish 11-2. UNC 11-3. Former Offensive Coordinator. Been an OL coach since 1998. A lot of experience ! https://t.co/iknOmmQvCC
— BigBoyDebo (@RollCrimsonRoll) February 19, 2024
— R L Land (@RLanceLand) February 19, 2024
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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.
