Alabama Football: New D-Line coach – 6 good choices and one that’s not

Alabama football needs a new defensive line coach after Karl Dunbar’s return to the NFL. Here are six good choices and one that is not.

Alabama football has one onfield staff opening for 2018. Karl Dunbar exited quickly after Signing Day, opting for a return to the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although not officially announced it has been widely reported Tide assistant Tosh Lupoi will be the next Defensive Coordinator and play-caller.

Lupoi was listed as Co-Defensive Coordinator with Jeremy Pruitt this past season. Lupoi has been a Crimson Tide linebacker coach for three seasons after one year as a defensive analyst. Prior to joining the Alabama staff, Lupoi coached the defensive line at Washington. Lupoi has no college experience as a defensive play-caller.

The delay in announcing Lupoi’s promotion does not suggest it won’t happen. Titles are secondary to Nick Saban’s decisions about position assignments. New assistants Pete Golding and Jeff Banks have not been publically assigned position groups. Although Banks is expected to coach special teams. While Lupoi could coach the defensive line, doing so does not mesh with play-calling duties. The best guess is Lupoi and Golding will coach the linebackers and a new d-line coach will be hired.

Six Good Options

Todd Bates and Freddie Roach are Alabama football alums and defensive line coaches at Clemson and Ole Miss, respectively. Both are sharp young minds with bright futures. Neither are premier recruiters yet but both would be enthusiastic and energetic in chasing Tide targets.

Roach has recently signed an Ole Miss contract. Bates will have arguably the most talented d-line in college football if he stays at Clemson.

Glenn Schumann is another Alabama alum who is a hot candidate. Glenn coaches linebackers at Georgia and does not have defensive line experience. He is rated as a super recruiter. Schumann was on the Tide staff for eight seasons, moving from an analyst while still an undergraduate to a graduate assistant and later moving into player development and player personnel. If the position group assignments made sense, Schumann is a home-run hire. If he could be pulled away from Kirby.

Eric Henderson is an assistant defensive line coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. In the 2016 season, Henderson was the defensive line coach at UTSA, working with Pete Golding. A former NFL player, Henderson is a New Orleans native and played at Georgia Tech, giving him connections in two hotbeds for recruiting.

Sean Spencer is the defensive line coach and associate head coach at Penn State. James Franklin would fight to retain him, but the connection with new Tide assistant, Josh Gattis could help attract him to Tuscaloosa. Spencer has been with Franklin four seasons at Penn State and three earlier seasons at Vanderbilt. He has 17 seasons of defensive line coaching experience.

Craig Kuligowski is the defensive line and assistant head coach at Miami. Craig played for Nick Saban at Toledo. He is a highly respected coach and recruiter. His relationships in South Florida would be a plus for Tide recruiting.  Kuligowski coached at Missouri for 15 seasons before being hired by Mark Richt.

One more name with baggage

Another name always mentioned when Alabama football has a defensive opening is Lance Thompson. Thompson is on Will Muschamp’s staff at South Carolina. Thompson has coached at Alabama three times going back to 2000. He is widely recognized as a tremendous recruiter, though no more than an average coach. Thompson’s previous stints in Tuscaloosa included some unseemly off-field rumors. Due to those old rumors, many Alabama football fans would be displeased if he rejoined the Alabama football staff.

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Who should Nick Saban hire? Whoever Nick chooses, even if it is Lance Thompson. Saban has earned the prerogative to build his staff however he chooses.