Possible Offensive Coordinator Candidates At Alabama

With the expected confirmation coming today on the departure of offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier to Michigan in the same capacity, The Houndztooth wanted to get a good list compiled from various news outlets to hopefully gain a better idea on who the man may be after Coach Saban makes his decision.

Phil Savage, the analyst for Alabama’s radio broadcasts mentioned 2 names “to keep and eye on” on his Twitter last night: Current Alabama WR Coach Billy Napier and former head coach of UCLA, Washington, and Colorado Rick Neuheisel.

Coach Napier returned in March 2013 to take the place of departing coach Mike Groh, who left to take a position with the Chicago Bears. Napier was an assistant coach at Colorado St in 2012 for former Alabama offensive coordinator and current Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain. Prior to his arrival in Tuscaloosa, Napier spent 7 seasons at Clemson in two different positions.

Coach Rick Neuheisel was fired from his last position as head coach of UCLA.

Mike Groh (mentioned above) has also been mentioned as well. He spent 2 seasons as offensive coordinator at Virginia (2006-2008) before being fired from that position.

The name that currently seems to be getting the most smoke, from at least social media, is former Tennessee, USC, and Raiders coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin was brought in by Coach Saban recently as an offensive consultant. “Lane is a really good offensive coach, and I’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect for him, just to come in and brainstorm a little bit just some professional ideas with our guys, I think, is a real positive thing,” Saban told Al.com on Dec. 17.

Coaching Search also mentioned the names of Frank Scelfo and a long shot chance at Clay Helton. Scelfo is in his first year as quarterback coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars and spent some time as offensive coordinator at LA Tech under Derek Dooley. Helton is currently the offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks coach at USC. Coach Saban once offered Helton a position at LSU during his time there but he decided to stay at the University of Memphis.

Coach Saban has mentioned in an interview with ESPN that he was open to make some changes to the offense and possibly run a more faster paced version. “It’s something we’re going to look at. I think we’ll have to,” Saban told ESPN.com. “I think we need to play faster and will have to do more of that going forward. The only reason we haven’t done more of it to this point is that our guys seem to play better when we don’t [go fast] just because it’s been our style and we’ve had reasonably good success moving the ball and running the ball. If Saban plans on changing his offensive philosophy, a name like Chad Morris (Clemson offensive coordinator) could emerge.

Another name that could emerge and was suggested by one of our moderators is Scott Linehan. He was just recently dismissed from his offensive coordinator position with the Detroit Lions. He worked with Coach Saban at the Miami Dolphins in 2005.

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