Alabama Crimson Tide announces seven new assistant football coaches
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced the addition of seven assistant coaches Friday, including Steve Sarkisian as the offensive coordinator and the promotion of Pete Golding to defensive coordinator.
Along with Golding and Sarkisian, the Crimson Tide added Brian Baker (associate head coach/defensive line), Charles Huff (associate head coach/running backs), Charles Kelly (associate defensive coordinator/safeties), Kyle Flood (offensive line), Sal Sunseri (outside linebackers) and Holmon Wiggins (wide receivers).
"We are excited to be able to assemble such a talented group of coaches to develop our players both on and off the field," Saban said. "These coaches have a great mix of energy, enthusiasm and experience that will be a tremendous asset to our program. They are all excellent teachers of the game and fantastic recruiters who bring a wealth of experience to our staff."
Offensive staff
Steve Sarkisian
Sarkisian arrives in Tuscaloosa to coordinate the offense and coach the quarterbacks after two seasons as the Atlanta Falcons' offensive coordinator. He served as the Crimson Tide's offensive coordinator for the 2017 College Football Championship Game after spending the 2016 season as an offensive analyst for the Crimson Tide. In Atlanta a season ago, Sarkisian's offenses finished in the top 10 in the NFL in passing yards (fourth – 4,653 yards), total yards (sixth – 6,226 yards) and 10th in scoring (25.9 ppg). In 2018, quarterback Matt Ryan threw for 4,924 yards with 35 touchdowns while Julio Jones caught 113 passes for 1,677 yards and eight touchdowns and Calvin Ridley added 64 catches for 821 yards and a team-high 10 scores.
Kyle Flood
Flood takes over Alabama's offensive front after two years as the Atlanta Falcons assistant offensive line coach where he worked with Sarkisian. He had just been promoted with the Falcons to game/clock management coach before joining the Tide. Prior to his time with the Falcons, Flood spent four years at the head coach at Rutgers where he led the Scarlet Knights to bowl games in each of his first three seasons. He was on staff at Rutgers in total for 11 season, also serving as the assistant head coach, co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Flood boasts 19 years of experience coaching the offensive line at the collegiate and NFL levels.
Charles Huff
Huff arrives in Tuscaloosa to tutor the running backs and serves as the Tide's associate head coach after one season as the assistant head coach, run-game coordinator and running backs coach at Mississippi State. He boasts 15 years of coaching experience on both the NFL and college level with stops at Penn State (2014-17), Western Michigan (2013), the Buffalo Bills (2012), Vanderbilt (2011), Hampton (2010), Maryland (2009) and Tennessee State (2006-08). His one season in Starkville produced an effective rushing attacked that averaged 223.6 yards per game to rank second in the SEC and 20th nationally. At Penn State, he recruited and developed one of the game's most electrifying players in running back Saquon Barkley who became the highest drafted NFL running back since Reggie Bush (No. 2) in 2006 and went on to win the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018.
Holmon Wiggins
Wiggins comes to Tuscaloosa to coach wide receivers after three years (2015-18) coaching the same unit at Virginia Tech under head coach Justin Fuente. He also worked for Fuente at Memphis for four seasons (2012-15) working with the wideouts. Wiggins oversaw the development of Tech's receivers over the past three years, highlighted by Cam Phillips, who established himself as Tech's career leader in receptions and receiving yards. At Memphis, he helped the Tigers to 19 victories and back-to-back bowl appearances in 2014-15. Memphis receivers registered 148 receptions, 1,687 yards and four touchdowns in 2013 and upped that total to 255 catches for 3,277 yards and 19 touchdowns before he left in 2015.
Defensive staff
Pete Golding
Golding was promoted to defensive coordinator after serving as the Crimson Tide co-defensive coordinator in 2018. He will continue to coach the inside linebackers. Prior to Alabama, Golding spent two years as the defensive coordinator at Texas-San Antonio and boasts eight years of experience coordinating defense across four different coaching stops.
Brian Baker
Baker, a 19-year NFL coaching veteran, joins the Crimson Tide's staff to coach the defensive line and serve as the associate head coach after three seasons tutoring one of the nation's top defensive fronts at Mississippi State. Prior to his time with the Bulldogs, Baker coached the defensive line or outside linebackers from 1996-2014 in the NFL with the Chargers, Lions, Vikings, Rams, Panthers, Cowboys, Browns and Redskins. Baker's leadership was evident in his three seasons in Starkville as the Bulldogs' produced multiple first team All-SEC defensive linemen for the first time in school history with Montez Sweat and Jeffery Simmons combining for 58.5 tackles for loss and 29 sacks over their final two seasons at MSU.
Charles Kelly
Kelly, a native of Ozark, Ala., joins the Crimson Tide's staff to serve as the associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach after one season as the special teams coordinator and safeties coach at Tennessee. He spent five seasons at Florida State (2013-17), including the final four years as the Seminoles' defensive coordinator. His defenses in Tallahassee ranked in the nation's top 25 his final three years, including No. 18 in 2017, after allowing only 331.1 total yards per game. FSU finished 22nd nationally in total defense in 2016 (349.1 ypg) and his 2015 unit ranked ninth in scoring defense (17.8 ppg). He coached 10 NFL Draft picks as the coordinator for the 'Noles, including first round defensive backs Jalen Ramsey (No. 5 overall) and Derwin James (No. 17).
Sal Sunseri
Sunseri returns to Tuscaloosa to coach the outside linebackers after making an immediate impact on the Florida defensive line in 2018. His front wreaked havoc on opposing teams' backfields as the Gators forced 11 fumbles and totaled 37 sacks in 2018. Prior to Florida, he spent three seasons as the Oakland Raiders' linebackers coach (2015-17). He worked on Jimbo Fisher's staff at Florida State in 2013 and 2014, coaching defensive ends in 2013 before being promoted to defensive head coach in 2014. The Seminoles were 28-1 during Sunseri's tenure, winning the BCS national title at the end of the 2013 season and qualifying for the first College Football Playoff in 2014. He spent three seasons at Alabama (2009-11) as the assistant head coach and outside linebackers coach. Sunseri left Alabama following the 2011 season to serve as Tennessee's defensive coordinator.
Jeff Banks (special teams coordinator/tight ends) and Karl Scott (cornerbacks) remain on staff from last season along with Golding. Full staff bios can be found at rolltide.com.
All such employment contracts are subject to approval by The University of Alabama Board of Trustees.
This report was acquired from a recent press release from Alabama.