Despite assistant coach turnover, Alabama continues to win under Nick Saban

Since Nick Saban has arrived at Alabama in 2007, he’s had six different offensive coordinators and three different defensive coordinators, but despite the changes, one thing remains the same: Alabama continues to win.

Don't Miss: Alabama defensive coordinator hot board

Alabama has a record of 130-20 since Saban’s takeover of the program (86% Win PCT) and has brought four National Championships to Tuscaloosa. Jeremy Pruitt who served as Alabama’s defensive coordinator since 2016 was named the head coach at Tennessee on December 7, which follows the trend of universities continuing to seek out top Alabama assistant coaches for their own head coach.

While we do not yet know the replacement for Pruitt, the new defensive coordinator for Alabama will have big shoes to fulfill as Alabama’s defense finished the regular season first in the nation in least points allowed per game (11.5) and also in total team defense (257.8).

Pruitt was hired to replace Kirby Smart who was hired as the head coach of Georgia on December 6 of 2015. Smart stayed on at Alabama to coach through the playoffs and it worked out well with Alabama defeating Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl 38-0, then defeating Clemson in the National Title 45-40.

During the 2016 season, Alabama had some late-season coaching drama when Saban let go of offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin on January 2nd of 2017, just days before the finals against Clemson. Alabama placed the offensive coordinator title on Steve Sarkisian only to have Sarkisian bolt for the offensive coordinator position for the Atlanta Falcons on February 7 of 2017.

The Crimson Tide then hired Brian Daboll away from the New England Patriots (former Patriots TE coach) on February 20, 2017 and it’s been a very successful early marriage with Alabama averaging 465.4-yards per game on offense (+10.4 from 2016) and scoring an average of 39.1 points per game (+0.3 from 2016).

Since 2007, Saban has had five coaches picked off from the program starting with Jim McElwain who was hired as the head coach at Colorado State on December 13 of 2011. McElwain stayed on at Alabama to coach with the Crimson Tide through the BCS National Championship game against LSU.

Then in 2014 offensive coordinator, Dough Nussmeier left Alabama to take the same position with Michigan. In 2015 Kirby Smart was hired away to Georgia, on February 7 of 2017 Steven Sarkisian left to take the same position for the Atlanta Falcons, and on December 7 of 2017, Jeremy Pruitt left his defensive coordinator position at Alabama to be named the head coach at Tennessee.

While coaching changes happen at every program, no program has dealt with assistant coaches leaving better than Alabama as they have an overall record of 87-9 (90.6% Win PCT) since Colorado State hired away McElwain in 2011.

The likely candidate to take over the defense is Tosh Lupoi, but we have a Hot Board filled with some additional names in case you want some extra reading material. As you have read, Saban did not take long to hire his next defensive coordinator when Smart left, so we don’t think there will be much time before Saban names the next leader of the Alpha Dogs.