How a former Hawaii player made his way to Alabama as a coach

The Alabama Crimson Tide has officially announced Adrian Klemm as offensive line coach following the relief of Chris Kapilovic. Klemm last served as an offensive analyst for the 2025 season and will now be in Tuscaloosa for his eighteenth year of coaching.

“Adrian Klemm has a reputation for recruiting and developing players at every level, having worked with some of the top offensive lines in his 15-plus years coaching,” head coach Kaleb DeBoer said. “He has a deep knowledge and passion for the game, and I know that he will be able to have an immediate impact on our program. We look forward to having him on staff.”

After growing up in Santa Monica, playing for Santa Monica Catholic as an offensive tackle, he decided to take his talents to the University of Hawaii, where he’d start for all four years and play a role in a 0-12 to 9-4 turnaround.

Klemm would go on to be drafted by the New England Patriots early in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Although he would only start in 10 of his 26 appearances, he’d still earn three rings in his four seasons with New England, though.

He’d join the Green Bay Packers for the 2005 season, in which he’d start eight games and appear in 16. However, the 2005 season would be his last as a player after joining the Raiders’ practice squad in the offseason, which wouldn’t work out.

For the 2008 season, Klemm would find himself in Dallas, acting as a volunteer graduate assistant under his former head coach at Hawaii, June Jones. Jones would promote Klemm to offensive line coach the following season.

After two years of developing offensive linemen, Jones would again promote Klemm, this time adding recruiting coordinator to his title. He thrived as a recruiter, even earning recognition from outlets around the nation for his recruiting efforts.

But after UCLA and Jim Mora offered him the position of offensive line coach and run game coordinator in Los Angeles, Klemm would accept the offer. He’d continue to see with the Bruins and help bring in top Pac-12 recruiting classes.

Klemm would earn the title of associate head coach in 2014, before he and the Bruins would part ways in 2017. Klemm’s coaching career would go on pause after he and Mora were listed in three lawsuits accusing them of mishandling injuries.

Before Klemm would be dismissed from the lawsuits in late 2021, he’d join the Pittsburgh Steelers as assistant offensive line coach in 2021. After two years of production, he’d earn the title of offensive line coach in February 2021.

However, Klemm wouldn’t finish out the season in Pittsburgh, as he’d accept the role as offensive line coach, run game coordinator and associate head coach with Oregon and new head coach Dan Lanning in December.

Klem would coach an offensive line that led the FBS in sacks allowed, with just five. The Ducks finished the 2022 season with a 10-3 record and a bowl win. Two linemen were All-American selections, and three went on to play in the NFL.

However, when the Patriots offered him the offensive line coach position, he took the job and headed to Foxborough for the 2023 season. But after a season with New England, his coaching career would take a two-year hiatus.

For the 2025 season, the USC Trojans managed to lure Klemm back into the world of college football, but this time, he’d take a different approach, as he spent the season in Los Angeles as a defensive assistant under head coach Lincoln Riley.

However, when the Tide came calling, he answered. With Alabama moving on from Kapilovic, head coach Kalen Deboer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb set their sights on the man with tons of proven coaching experience at various levels.

The Tide’s offensive line had some issues last year, some with quarterback protection, but mainly with assisting in the establishment of the run game, something that Klemm has excelled in over the years.

Even with Alabama’s issues, it will be losing two top offensive linemen to the draft in Kadyn Proctor and Parker Brailsford. That’s not it, though: it will lose three others to exhausted eligibility, while six others decided to hit the transfer portal.

With 11 total offensive lineman departures, the Tide has sought Klemm out as the one to put the pieces back together to help the Crimson Tide get back to top offensive line production to assist in overall offensive execution.

Klemm will get to work with five returners, Michael Caroll being the most notable name. The former five-star got plenty of reps as a freshman last season and has all the talent he needs to become a top pick in the draft in years to come.

The Tide also worked to repair the damage from the 11 departures, securing 11 new incoming players; five out of high school and six through the transfer portal. With major talent acquired, specifically through the portal, Alabama will be in a good position.

Klemm will immediately get to work, in hopes of quickly establishing one of the best offensive lines in the country.

“I am incredibly honored and grateful for this opportunity to join Coach DeBoer’s staff at The University of Alabama,” said Klemm. “The tradition, culture and championship standard in Tuscaloosa is second to none. I’m excited to get to work with our players and this staff, and it feels great to be a part of the Alabama family. Roll Tide!”