The coaching carousel appears to have finally stopped turning in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Nick Saban has once again maneuvered another coaching overhaul as Alabama replaced half of its on-field coaching staff this offseason.
The Crimson Tide added five new assistants over the past two months as the hirings of Bill O’Brien (offensive coordinator), Doug Marrone (offensive line), Robert Gillespie (running backs), Jay Graham (special teams/tight ends) and Jay Valai (cornerbacks) have all been announced.
This week we will continue our five-part series examining each of the new assistants while breaking down what they bring to the program and what they will have to work with this season. Today we move on to Jay Graham.
Meet the staff: Bill O’Brien | Doug Marrone | Robert Gillespie
Jay Graham, special teams/tight ends
Who he's replacing: Jeff Banks (left to become assistant head coach/special teams coordinator/tight ends coach at Texas)
Previous job: Running backs coach at Tennessee 2020
What he brings: Graham’s hiring is perhaps the most interesting of Alabama’s five additions this offseason. The longtime SEC assistant has had success at various stops but has only coached tight ends for one season in his 15-year coaching career, serving as South Carolina’s running backs/tight ends coach in 2011. The former Tennessee running back has spent most of his career coaching his position but does have experience managing special teams at Tennessee-Martin (2007) and Florida State (2014-17).
