Saban: Clinton-Dix, Whisenhunt have a lot of 'good experience' as coaches
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — With the myriad of coaching hires Alabama made during the offseason, two made less noise than the additions of offensive and defensive coordinators.
Saban added former NFL head coach Ken Whisenhunt to its staff directory as one of the team's special assistants to the head coach in February before adding former Crimson Tide star Ha Ha Clinton-Dix as a player development coach.
Whisenhunt, who spent the past two seasons as an offensive analyst at Penn State, served as a head coach for eight seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2007-12) and Tennessee Titans (2014-15). This marks his second stint in the SEC as he began his coaching career at Vanderbilt overseeing the special teams, tight ends and H-backs from 1995-96.
"He's got a lot of good experience. He's a really good coach," Saban said. "You know, he's been a head coach, he's been an offensive coordinator in the NFL for a long time. I just thought it'd be a great complement to our staff. He's been in a similar role at Penn State for two years, so he's really learned the college game. He's a good guy. I think that everybody has a lot of respect for him, and I think his energy, his enthusiasm, his ideas have been very helpful to us."
As for Clinton-Dix, he returns to the place where he made a name for himself. He was a part of the back-to-back national championship teams in 2011 and 2012 and was named a consensus All-American in 2013.
After his success at Alabama, he had a seven-year NFL career making stops in Green Bay, Washington, Chicago and Las Vegas. He officially retired in December and then joined Alabama for the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
It didn't take Clinton-Dix long to get reacquainted with his former head coach as on his first day on staff in February, Saban chewed him out.
Despite the rocky start, Saban was complimentary of the team's new player development coach.
"He’s got great character," Saban said on Wednesday. "He’s a great person, sets a really good example, has got really good leadership,” Saban said. “The players, sort of, migrate to him. He gives them great advice and direction and things that they can do to help accomplish their goals. He’s just done a fantastic job for us."
"Appreciate the fact that he wants to be here. It always makes me happy when we have guys that played here and had great careers in the NFL, made the Pro Bowl, and they want to come back and be part of the program. So we welcomed him, and he’s done a fantastic job for us."