MOBILE, Ala. — Kalen DeBoer has just about put the finishing touches on his new staff at Alabama. During an appearance at the Senior Bowl on Wednesday the first-year head coach spoke about newly-hired defensive coordinator Kane Wommack as well as the decision to retain running backs coach Robert Gillespie and defensive line coach Freddie Roach.

Alabama brought in Wommack earlier this month after he spent the past three seasons as South Alabama’s head coach. DeBoer has a history of working with Wommack, the two spent the 2019 season together at Indiana. DeBoer served as the offensive coordinator of the Hoosiers while Wommack was the defensive coordinator.

“I just know he’s really good,” DeBoer said of Wommack. “I saw him every single day in practice there in 2019, going against him. I think he’s just continued to take those steps forward the year after I left. Him being a head coach, especially understanding everything down here in Alabama, the state. I know he’s a relationship guy. He brings a lot of energy and organizational skills that I know are going to be really important for our program.”

Knowledge of the state of Alabama was also a key factor in the retention of Gillespie and Roach.

“You listen to what the people around the program have to say, in regards to their relationships with the players, how strong their position groups were, who they were as people, as well as what their impact has been in recruiting," DeBoer said. “These guys have been amazing. They helped us keep the team together through some tough times, even before I was hired. I think they had a huge impact on that.

“Then once I got here, just locking arms with them and trusting them, I asked them to be all in on me, and I was all in on them, and they've been that way as well. It allowed us to hit the ground running here these last two weeks on the recruiting trail. I can see very clearly that we made some very good decisions on keeping them here with us at Alabama.”

DeBoer is bringing at least four members of his Washington staff to Alabama as on-field assistants. Ryan Grubb will serve as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, while JaMarcus Shephard will coach receivers, Nick Sheridan will coach tight ends and Scott Huff will coach the offensive line. Washington co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach William Inge is also expected to join the Alabama staff in some capacity.

Alabama is also bringing in Buffalo head coach Maurice Linguist as well as Wisconsin safeties coach/co-defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler to coach defensive backs.

Wednesday, DeBoer said that he and his staff will begin implementing his system with Crimson Tide players next week.

Alabama has yet to announce when its spring practice will start. Earlier this week, the university released that it will end its 15-practice camp with its annual A-Day scrimmage April 13.