TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama’s coaching carousel continued to turn Thursday as the Pittsburgh Steelers announced the hiring of Crimson Tide defensive line coach Karl Dunbar to the same position.
“It’s awesome to be back,” Dunbar said in a news release. “This team drafted me out of college. Just to be back and the nostalgia of Pittsburgh, the mystic of Pittsburgh, the workman’s mentality. Hopefully, I can bring that to the team.
“Having the relationship with Mike (Tomlin) and some of the coaches on the staff. Knowing Coach (John) Mitchell, who was a coach at LSU when I played. A lot of things he did, I do. I will lean on him to help me get to know the guys in the defensive line room and hopefully make it a great transition.”
Dunbar is the fourth Alabama assistant to leave this offseason. He joins former defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, former defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
Current co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach Tosh Lupoi, who is expected to be promoted to defensive coordinator and play-caller, has experience coaching defensive line in the past. That should give Alabama some flexibility in who it brings in to fill the position.
Dunbar joined Alabama’s staff in 2016 and has helped coach the Crimson Tide to two straight appearances in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, including last season’s 26-23 victory over Georgia.
While at Alabama he coached NFL draft picks in Jonathan Allen (first round, No. 17 overall to the Washington Redskins) and Dalvin Tomlinson (second round, No. 55 overall to the New York Giants). He should add to that tally as defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne and defensive end Da’Shawn Hand are figured to be selected in this year’s draft.
Dunbar helped develop Allen into the nation’s top defensive lineman in 2016, as the defensive end earned the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Ted Hendricks Award and Lombardi Award. In his only season under Dunbar, Allen recorded a team-high 10.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries to go with 16 tackles for a loss. He also recovered three fumbles, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
Before coaching at Alabama, Dunbar spent 11 seasons in the NFL coaching defensive line for the Buffalo Bills (2015), New York Jets (2012-14), Minnesota Vikings (2006-11) and Chicago Bears (2004). He served as LSU’s defensive line coach in 2005.
Dunbar, 50, started his coaching career as the defensive line coach for Nichols State in 1998. He then worked as the strength and conditioning coach at LSU from 2000-01 before coaching defensive line at Oklahoma State from 2002-03.
Dunbar was a three-year starter at defensive tackle for LSU from 1986-89. He was selected by the Steelers in the eighth round of the 1990 NFL Draft and played three seasons in the league with the New Orleans Saints (1993) and Arizona Cardinals (1994-95).
