When Alabama hired Adrian Klemm to coach the offensive line, the reaction was understandably mixed online. The reaction I had was even more mixed. I followed the Patriots closely in 2023 and remember the negative attitude the New England Patriots fans had towards him in his only year there and Bill Belichick's last year.
His NFL experience carries weight, especially at a program that prides itself on producing pro-ready talent. But for fans, like myself, who remember the last year of Belichick's New England tenure, it is reasonable to approach the hire with cautious curiosity rather than blind optimism.
That season, New England's offense struggled in nearly every phase. The offensive line that season was a consistent concern. The Patriots allowed 48 sacks, ranking near the bottom third of the NFL, while quarterbacks Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe faced constant pressure behind a line that lacked continuity and consistency. Protection issues became a weekly storyline, not an occasional hiccup.
Sacks don't tell the whole story, but they are not meaningless either. Beyond the raw numbers, the Patriots cycled through multiple offensive line combinations due to injuries and performance issues. That lack of stability showed up on Sundays. Missed assignments, delayed communication, and an inability to establish rhythm in both the run and pass game. The offense averaged just 13.9 points per game, last in the NFL, and while the quarterback play played a role, the offensive trench play certainly did not help.
To be fair, context matters. The Patriots' roster had limitations, the offense changed frequently, and neither Jones nor Zapper consistently elevated the unit. Offensive line play is interconnected with the quarterback play. Protections depend on the scheme, quarterback decisions, and the surrounding talent. None of that falls solely on one coach. Still, the results matter. And it is fair for fans to ask how much of that NFL experience translates to Alabama.
Adrian Klemm's tenure with the Patriots cannot be ignored
In college, offensive line coaching is about building players from the ground up. It teaches footwork, leverage, hand placement, communication, conditioning, and mental processing. It is not just coaching football; it is shaping raw athletes into functional linemen. In the NFL, linemen are mostly fully developed. Technique is already refined, bodies are mature, and coaching often focuses on scheme execution, matchup adjustments, and weekly game planning. Development still happens at the professional level, but it is incremental.
This difference will matter at Alabama. The Tide doesn't need an offensive line that simply holds up. It needs major improvement from last year. A running game is going to have to be established that yields better results than last year's. They need an offensive line that controls the game, sets the physical tone, and is a larger part of the offensive identity. That is going to require cohesion, repetition, and development more than scheme complexity.
Klemm's success won't be measured by NFL-Metrics. It will be measured by growth. Do young players improve year to year? Does communication clean up? Does the line develop chemistry? Is Alabama going to be able to successfully run the ball? It is a different challenge from managing veteran professionals; some similarities will carry over.
This isn't an indictment of the hire; the 2023 Patriots had a series of problems, and quite frankly, were a dumpster fire. This is an acknowledgment of the stakes. Alabama's margin for error starts in the trenches, and offensive line performance often dictates how high the ceiling can go. Crimson Tide fans are clamoring for improvement and want a solid run game. Patience is warranted, but scrutiny is fair. At a program where excellence has always been earned, that's exactly how it should be. Adrian Klemm has an opportunity to fix a lot of Alabama's line problems from last year.
He also has the opportunity to rewrite this fan's lasting impression of him in that 2023 season.