Over the next few days, BamaInsider will provide a breakdown of the Alabama coaching staff. Today, we continue the series with Holmon Wiggins who will be entering his third season as the Crimson Tide’s wide receivers coach.
Click the video above for a breakdown of Wiggins. Below are five things to know about the Tide assistant.
DeVonta Smith wasn’t his first record-breaking receiver
Wiggins was one of the people DeVonta Smith made sure to point out during his Heisman Trophy acceptance speech last year. That’s no surprise as the star receiver had his two best seasons under the assistant’s guidance.
Smith led the Tide in receiving in each of Wiggins’ two years at Alabama, combining for 3,112 yards and 37 touchdowns on 185 receptions over that span. Last season, the Heisman winner set the SEC single-season records for receiving yards (1,856) and receiving touchdowns (23). Smith also leaves Alabama as the conference’s all-time leader in receiving yards (3,965) and receiving touchdowns (46) while breaking the school’s all-time receptions record with 235.
While Smith is Wiggins’ biggest success story to date, the assistant also produced a pair of record-breaking receivers at Virginia Tech. During his first season as the Hokies’ wide receivers coach in 2016, Wiggins oversaw Isaiah Ford as the junior broke his own school single-season record with 79 receptions. Wiggins also played a role in developing Cam Phillips, who is Virginia Tech’s all-time leader in receptions (236) and receiving yards (3,027).
He’s been an elite recruiter
Wiggins hasn’t just developed receivers at Alabama, he’s also done a good job of adding to the unit. Since joining the Tide, he has had a direct involvement in the recruitment of each of the seven receiver signees Alabama has added the past two years, a list that includes former Rivals150 talents, JaCorey Brooks, JoJo Earle, Christian Leary and Agiye Hall as well as Thaiu Jones-Bell and Traeshon Holden. Wiggins also played a role in bringing in four-star defensive tackle Jamil Burroughs in the 2020 class.
Wiggins is already off to a good start for next year’s class, helping Alabama land recent commits Amari Niblack and Antonio Kite. He’s also a key recruiter for several of the Tide’s high-profile receiving targets, including Barion Brown, Evan Stewart, Omari Kelly, Kobe Prentice and others.
He was targeted by Steve Sarkisian at Texas
After accepting the head coaching job at Texas earlier this year, former Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian took several key members of the Tide’s coaching staff with him. Ultimately, Sarkisian was able to pry away offensive line coach Kyle Flood, special teams/tight ends coach Jeff Banks and offensive analyst AJ Milwee from Alabama. Fortunately for the Tide, he missed on one of his biggest targets.
According to a report from Football Scoop, Sarkisian made a run at hiring Wiggins as his offensive coordinator at Texas. The Alabama assistant elected to remain with the Tide, and Sarkisian gave the role to Flood. Wiggins was rewarded for his loyalty earlier this offseason as Alabama handed him a $100,000 raise, bumping his annual salary to $575,000.
His favorite football player is an Auburn legend
Wiggins’ favorite football player growing up was Bo Jackson. However, before Alabama fans get too upset, his affinity for the former Auburn star had little to do with his time playing for the Tigers.
Wiggins, a Los Angeles native, grew up rooting for Jackson’s Los Angeles Raiders and considers the two-sport star to be “the best athlete ever to walk the country.” Perhaps inspired by Jackson, Wiggins went on to play running back during his playing career.
He was a standout running back and punt returner
Wiggins played running back for New Mexico from 1998-2001. He was a three-year starter and finished his career with 1,833 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
Wiggins was also an accomplished punt returner, setting New Mexico’s single-season records in return yards (392) and attempts (46) both in the 2000 season. Over his career, he averaged 8.6 yards per attempt, returning a punt 47 yards for a score against Air Force in the 2001 season.
“He had the ability to make somebody miss in a tight area,” former New Mexico head coach Rocky Long told the Albuquerque Journal earlier this year. “That’s why he was a good running back, too. He didn’t necessarily outrun anybody, but he could make the first guy miss. If you make the first guy miss on a punt return, you’ve got a chance for a decent return.”
