Alabama Football: Nick Saban shores up staff with two new assistants

Alabama football head coach Nick Saban is expected to add Kyle Flood and Sal Sunseri to the Crimson Tide assistant coaching staff.

Alabama football is adding a new face and a familiar one as well to the on-field coaching staff. Former Crimson Tide assistant, Sal Sunseri is reported to be returning to Tuscaloosa as a defensive position coach. Sunseri has experience coaching linebackers and the defensive line. He was previously a linebackers coach for Nick Saban from 2009-2011. Sal will be joining his son, former Crimson Tide player, Vinnie Sunseri who will be a Crimson Tide graduate assistant.

Since leaving the Alabama football staff, Sunseri has held positions at Tennessee, Florida State, the Oakland Raiders and most recently at Florida. He was the Gators defensive line coach.

Recent Atlanta Falcons assistant, Kyle Flood is expected to join Nick Saban’s staff as the offensive line coach. Flood was head coach at Rutgers for four seasons (2012-2015.)

The expected hire of Steve Sarkisian as offensive coordinator was a likely factor in Flood getting the Crimson Tide opportunity. This past season, the Falcons offensive line underperformed, largely due to injuries to key players. Despite those difficulties, it is believed Sarkisian expressed confidence in Flood’s coaching ability.

A side story on Flood will be discussion he is another Nick Saban reclamation project. Flood’s record at Rutgers was not great, only 27-24. He also ran afoul of the NCAA. Rutgers was involved in academic improprieties that led to a three-game suspension of Flood in 2015. He was also penalized by the NCAA for lack of organizational oversight and received a one-year, show-cause penalty. Allegations against the Rutgers program included “widespread drug use by players” and at least one attempt to alter player grades.

Rutgers was placed on probation by the NCAA for two-years but the penalties did not include any loss of scholarships, a bowl ban or the vacation of any wins. The Flood show-cause penalty expired a few months ago. He has no further restrictions in coaching college football.

Flood was a Rutgers assistant from 2005-2011, before becoming the Scarlet Knights head coach. His position with the Falcons was assistant offensive line coach. Falcons head coach, Dan Quinn had recently promoted Flood to a senior staff position and assigned him the responsibility of game clock management.

Nick Saban is known for giving coaches opportunities to rebuild tarnished careers. Those hiring decisions are not always popular but they have aided careers and benefitted Alabama football.