Alabama to hire Karl Scott as new DB coach
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama might be a long way from knowing what its secondary will look like next season, but the Crimson Tide now knows who will be coaching it. Karl Scott will be named Alabama’s next defensive backs coach, BamaInsider.com has learned Wednesday.
Scott, who was hired as the defensive coordinator at Louisiana-Lafayette in December, will take the place of Derrick Ansley who left Alabama earlier this month to coach defensive backs for the Oakland Raiders. He will be in charge of an entirely new secondary as Alabama lost the majority of its starters to graduation and the NFL Draft. Cornerback Trevon Diggs and safety Deionte Thompson are the only returning defensive backs to start a game for the Crimson Tide last season.
Before joining Louisiana-Lafayette, Scott served as Texas Tech’s defensive backs coach from 2016-17. The Red Raiders had one of the nation’s worst pass defenses last season, ranking No. 123 out of 130 Division I teams while giving up 282.2 yards per game through the air. Although, not all of that can be blamed on the defensive backs, who compiled nine interceptions including two returned for touchdowns.
Scott also served as the safeties coach at Louisiana Tech in 2015. Before that he spent three seasons at Southeastern Louisiana, serving as the linebackers coach and traveling coordinator from 2012-13 before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2014. During his first two seasons at Southeastern Louisiana, Scott served under newly-hired Alabama assistant Pete Golding, who was the Lions’ defensive coordinator at the time.
Golding and Scott also worked together at Tusculum from 2008-09 when Golding served as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach while Scott coached defensive backs, linebackers and served as the recruiting coordinator.
Scott’s hiring is part of a busy offseason for Alabama. Along with losing Ansley to the Raiders, the Crimson Tide also saw defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt take the head coaching job at Tennessee. On the offensive side of the ball, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll recently accepted the offensive coordinator position with the Buffalo Bills.
In addition to Scott and Golding, Alabama has also hired Jeff Banks as its special teams coordinator. The combined hires and departures leave the Crimson Tide with one additional open coaching slot available.