Alabama Football: Trail to Texas adds Flood and Banks

Alabama Football: Steve Sarkisian is adding Kyle Flood and Jeff Banks to his Longhorns’ staff. Who else might Nick Saban lose?

The appreciation Alabama football fans have for Steve Sarkisian took a dip Thursday morning. Multiple sources reported Alabama football assistant, Jeff Banks will join Sarkisian in Austin.

It was already known Crimson Tide offensive line coach, Kyle Flood is leaving Nick Saban’s staff to become Offensive Coordinator for the Longhorns. Crimson Tide fans could accept the loss of Flood because, rather than being a lateral move, it is a promotion.

Jeff Banks leaving the Crimson Tide is different. There is little doubt Banks is leaving for any other reason than a larger paycheck. Making around $800,000 annually in Tuscaloosa, it is rumored, Texas will pay Banks well over $1M to take the same job in Austin. Technically, Banks is expected to have a job title enhancement in Austin, by being named an Assistant Head Coach. He will also coach Texas tight ends and special teams.

Could the Crimson Tide have matched the offer? Financially, yes; practically doing so might have driven Banks’ Crimson Tide pay so high other assistants would also expect big raises. Texas probably has the deepest pockets in college football. Who knows how high they would go to lure Banks? Apparently, Nick Saban did not want to find out.

Texas is a talent-rich football state and geographically it was assigned to Banks. He has relationships with Texas high school coaches that benefiited Texas A&M when he coached and recruited for the Aggies. In the 2021 signing class, Alabama football assistants are the top three recruiters, per 247Sports. Charles Huff is No. 1, followed by Karl Scott and Banks.

The recruiting success Banks had in Tuscaloosa features big names, including Will Reichard, Kendrick Blackshire, Agiye Hall, Christian Leary, Marcus Banks, Jalen Milroe and Camar Wheaton. Having made a verbal commitment after the Early Signing Period, the 5-Star, running back, Wheaton cannot sign until February.

There had been speculation Crimson Tide wide receivers coach, Holman Wiggins would join Sark at Texas. More recent information is that Wiggins will likely remain on the Alabama football staff. Going forward, Nick Saban could lose another key staff member in running backs coach, Charles Huff. Huff is expected to interview for the head coaching job at Marshall.

Even if Huff does not get the promotion to Marshall, he, Wiggins and Karl Scott will continue to be pursued by other schools. Perhaps, Nick Saban was more interested in using the Crimson Tide checkbook to entice the trio to stay than he was for Banks.

UPDATED: Rumors circulating Pete Golding is a leading candidate to become Texas Defensive Coordinator

The price of success can be great. Other schools see the surest route to reaching Saban-like success is to hire Alabama football assistants.