A new head coach brings a different energy, motivation, philosophy, and of course, a new coaching staff.
Kalen DeBoer kept two on-field coaches — Freddie Roach and Robert Gillespie — from Nick Saban’s tenure, but he added assistants from Washington and other programs. Expectations are high for Roach, Gillespie, JaMarcus Shephard, Nick Sheridan, and Kane Wommack, but the Crimson Tide also has a few under-the-radar assistants.
Names such as Maurice Linguist, Colin Hitschler, Bryan Ellis, and Chris Kapilovic have something to prove. The most underrated name on the coaching staff has arguably the most experience in the Southeastern Conference. Christian Robinson could have a monster season in the fall.
Robinson is one of the top young defensive minds in college football.
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He played linebacker at Georgia from 2009 to 2012 and started his coaching career at his Alma mater as a defensive graduate assistant and quality control assistant from 2013 to 2014.
Robinson would be a graduate assistant and coach linebackers at Ole Miss, Florida, Mississippi State and Auburn before heading to Baylor University. He mentored playmakers such as Robert Nkemdiche (Ole Miss), Marquis Haynes (Ole Miss), Jonathan Greenard (Florida), David Reese II (Florida), Ventrell Miller (Florida), Mohamoud Diabate (Florida), Brenton Cox Jr. (Florida), Owen Pappoe (Auburn). Robinson had Matt Jones at Baylor in 2023, propelling him to a team-high 82 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks. He will have several names to coach at the University of Alabama at outside linebacker.
Quandarrius Robinson and Keanu Koht are the leaders, but Qua Russaw, Yhonzae Pierre, Keon Keeley (could alternate between defensive end and OLB), Jayshawn Ross, and Cayden Jones are talented players.
Alabama lost Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell to the National Football League, so Tide fans are looking at Robinson to pop out the next duo of marquee pass rushers. He will lean on his experience of being around the SEC to get the job done.
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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.
