Alabama football has an assistant coach with Southeastern Conference ties on Kalen DeBoer’s staff.
Christian Robinson has been at Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State.
He has been a graduate assistant and a linebackers coach at these programs, but he will serve as outside linebackers coach for the Crimson Tide. Robinson was a Georgia when he was recruiting Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner.
Both chose Alabama and had successful careers.
Robinson gets an opportunity to coach Keanu Koht, Quandarrius Robinson, Qua Russaw, Yhonzae Pierre, and others. He sees something unique about the outside linebacker room, and he spoke on it last week to reporters.
Robinson said this group coaches each other.
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“That has been exciting from day one,” Robinson said about the linebackers coaching each other.
He said he recruited Quandarrius Robinson and Koht while he was at Florida. Robinson came to Alabama as a five-star in the 2020 class and Koht chose the Crimson Tide in the 2021 class.
“We already had a relationship from day one,” Coach Robinson said.
“Those guys have been vocal whether it’s been offseason workouts, Fourth Quarter Program, to day one in meetings, and especially after practice those guys come together and communicate what the expectation is.”
Robinson said both guys are pushing the group to be an elite unit. He is also very excited for young names like Pierre and Jayshawn Ross, a four-star freshman, to show what they can do in practice.
“I think with a new defense, it brings an opportunity to learn from the ground up,” Robinson said
“Everybody is learning new, the older guys bring a physical presence in terms of reps and game experience, but the young guys can get faster along by just focusing on the basics.”
Robinson is excited to see what Pierre and Ross become as players. Both have marquee potential, and Pierre has a year in the system.
Alabama still wants outside linebackers that can rush the quarterback on third downs and create sacks.
Robinson sees Koht as someone that can stuff running backs and apply pressure to quarterbacks.
“I recruited him to Florida to be an inside guy,” Robinson said about Koht. “He has the skills the play on the line of scrimmage and off the ball, and those are the kind of guys we are looking for. We want guys that can do both. He can stop the run and has the pass-rush ability.”
Sources confirmed to Touchdown Alabama Magazine that Koht has the ability to be like former Alabama legend, Will Anderson.
“Koht is Will Anderson fast,” sources said after Thursday’s scrimmage.
“Not comparing him to Will quite yet, but he has that speed.”
Robinson was with Dave Womack, father of Kane Womack, at Ole Miss so he knows the terminology and scheme of the 4-2-5 defense.
He’s excited to be with Kane and create marquee success at Alabama.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
