Lost in the contract extensions for both Kalen DeBoer and Nate Oats that were announced on Wednesday were details on the assistant coaching salary pool for Alabama football.
Only three of DeBoer's assistants didn't get new deals approved: OC Ryan Grubb, RBs coach Robert Gillespie, and DL coach Freddie Roach.
All three are entering the final year of their current deals, and are set to make the following money in 2026:
- Grubb: $1 million
- Gillespie: $850,000
- Roach: $1.3 million
DeBoer may not be on the hot seat anymore with his contract extension that increased his buyout number. It would cost Alabama $67.5 million to fire him without cause following the 2026 season.
But a number of his assistants, including Grubb, Gillespie, and Roach, certainly are.
4 Alabama assistant coaches are working on one-year contracts in 2026
Along with the trio listed above, new Alabama OL coach Adrian Klemm is curiously on a one-year, $600,000 contract, too. That's suspiciously light in both years and compensation for an offensive line coach, particularly one with Klemm's track record. He has had health issues in the past, and the one-year deal could have something to do with that.
Gillespie is on the clock with the running backs this year. Alabama hasn't had a real difference-maker in the RB room for a few years now, and that has to change. With the addition of 5-star EJ Crowell and the early impressions made by fellow freshman Trae'shawn Brown, this should be the year that changes. But it's certainly a prove-it year for Gillespie.
The same is true for Roach, who, along with Gillespie, is the only other holdover from Nick Saban's staff. Alabama's defensive line appears to have taken a step forward in terms of talent and depth, but the proof will be in the results this fall.
And then there's Grubb. His $1 million salary makes him the sixth-highest-paid coach on the staff, if you include GM Courtney Morgan. His lower salary is mostly due to the fact that the Seattle Seahawks are still paying him as part of his buyout from his termination.
Grubb is under a tremendous amount of pressure in 2026. DeBoer made a couple of staff moves in February that illustrated that. He has all the help he could possibly need to get things right. Alabama's offense simply wasn't good enough in 2025, and a repeat of that will lead to worse overall results on the field and a new play-caller in 2027.
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