Over the next few days, BamaInsider will provide a breakdown of the Alabama coaching staff. Today we continue the series with Sal Sunseri who will be entering his third season as the Crimson Tide’s outside linebackers coach.

Click the video above for a breakdown of Sunseri. Below are five things to know about the Tide assistant.

Previous breakdowns: Saban | O’Brien | Golding | Marrone | Wiggins | Gillespie | Kelly | Svoboda

The doubters began to circle following Alabama’s breakdown against Clemson in the 2018 national championship game. The exodus of assistant coaches that ensued the following offseason caused some to speculate whether Nick Saban's authoritarian approach would prevent the Tide from ever establishing stability on its staff.

However, the hiring of Sunseri that January seemed to dispel the notion that assistants no longer wanted to work under Saban. After all, this is Sunseri’s third stint with the head coach. The longtime assistant also served as the linebackers and special teams coach on Saban’s 2000 LSU team before serving as the linebackers coach at Alabama from 2009-11.

Unlike some of the up-and-coming assistants Alabama has added in recent years, Sunseri share’s Saban’s old-school, no-nonsense approach. Perhaps that’s why he’s been hired by the head coach on three separate occasions.

Sunseri has earned a fistful of national championship rings during his 35-year coaching career. Last season’s national title was his fourth at the college level and third with Alabama.

Sunseri was part of Saban’s first national championship team at Alabama in 2009 as he led an outside linebackers unit that accounted for 21.5 tackles for a loss and eight sacks. That team went 14-0 and featured a defense that ranked second nationally in scoring defense (11.7 points per game), total defense (245.4 yards allowed per game), rushing defense (79.36 yapg) and opposing passing efficiency rating (87.65).

Sunseri’s next title came in 2011 as he helped coach arguably the best defense in college football history. Alabama went 12-1 that season, leading the nation in scoring defense (8.2 ppg), total defense (183.6 yapg), rushing defense (72.15 yapg), passing defense (111.5 yapg), opponent passing efficiency rating (83.69), opponent third-down conversions (24.46 percent) and opponent red-zone conversions (58.82 percent). Sunseri was named as a finalist for the Broyles Award that season as he oversaw an outside linebackers unit headlined by Butkus Award finalist Courtney Upshaw.

Sunseri earned his third national title with Florida State as he was in charge of the Seminoles’ defensive line during their 14-0 season in 2013. Florida State led the nation in scoring (12.1 ppg) and ranked third in total defense (281.4 yapg) that season.

Last season, Sunseri oversaw an outside linebackers unit that featured Will Anderson Jr. and Christopher Allen. Anderson led the nation’s freshmen with seven sacks while Allen led the SEC with 13 tackles for a loss. Alabama led the SEC in scoring defense, allowing opponents 19.4 points per game.

Alabama’s 13-0 record last season marked the third undefeated team Sunseri has been a part of. Interestingly enough, Saban has yet to record an undefeated season without Sunseri while the assistant was able to accomplish the feat without the head coach.

The 2019 season served as a reunion for the Sunseri household as Sal was joined by his two sons, Vinnie and Tino on Alabama’s staff.

Vinnie, who played safety for the Tide from 2011-13, was the first to join that year, signing on as a graduate assistant. Shortly after Sal took the outside linebackers job, Tino, a former quarterback at Pittsburgh from 2009-12, completed the trio by becoming part of Alabama’s support staff.

Sal’s sons have since moved on from the program as Vinnie was hired by the New England Patriots as a defensive coaching assistant in January of 2020 while Tino accepted the quarterbacks coach position at James Madison this past May.

Before their time coaching together Sal and Vinnie faced off against each other in 2012 when Sal was the defensive coordinator at Tennessee and Vinnie was a sophomore at Alabama. The son ended up on the winning side of the meeting as the Tide recorded a 44-13 victory over the Volunteers in Knoxville, Tenn. Vinnie recorded six tackles in the game.

Sunseri was an accomplished player himself before his coaching days. After walking on at Pittsburgh in 1978, he started three seasons at linebacker, helping the Panthers lead the nation in total defense in 1980 and 1981. Sunseri was named a team captain during his senior season and went on to become a consensus All-American.

Following his time at Pitt, Sunseri earned defensive MVP honors during the 1982 Senior Bowl and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 10th round of the 1982 NFL Draft. However, his playing career was cut short later that offseason as he suffered a severe knee injury during training camp.

It isn’t hard to locate Sunseri during an Alabama practice. Just follow the booming voice bellowing away at the outside linebackers. The Pittsburgh native is easily the Tide’s most expressive assistant during drills and isn’t afraid to tear into players following mistakes on the field.

“He ain't the type of coach that's gonna sit there and pat you on the back all the time,” former Alabama outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings said during the 2019 season. “He's gonna tell you when you mess up, he's gonna tell you when you're doing good and just keep it real with you at all times. For me as a player that's trying to get better each and every day, that's all you can ask for."

Alabama players have grown accustomed to the tough love and know not to take the butt-chewings to heart.

“He does all of that, but it’s all out of love because he sees the potential in us and he sees the potential in this group,” former Alabama outside linebacker Terrell Lewis said during the 2019 season. “Even when he does chew us out, he’ll also talk to us immediately and be like, ‘Now guys, the only reason I’m doing this is because I see the potential. He always thinks big picture. He always thinks next level. And he knows that we all want to win national championships, and he knows we all have dreams and aspirations to go on and play in the NFL. So he always gives us his NFL perspective of why he does things the way he does to understand that it’s no time for self-pity and stuff like that.”