Two holdovers from Nick Saban’s final staff have been promoted by Alabama football.
The official announcement of Kalen DeBoer’s first coaching staff in Tuscaloosa has finally begun for Alabama football.
The UA Athletics confirmed two long-expected promotions to the only on-field coaching positions held by holdovers from Nick Saban’s final staff, more than a month after he was formally hired on January 12.
Ahead of his sixth season, Freddie Roach, who was formerly the defensive line coach for the Alabama Tide, added the position of assistant head coach. After four seasons as the running backs’ coach, Robert Gillespie is currently an associate head coach.
Raisings are probably in store for both roles. With respect to assistant coach compensation, Roach made $775,000 and Gillespie made $625,000, placing them 120th and 177th, respectively, in USA Today’s database.
The terms of DeBoer’s new contract, which is anticipated to be worth more than $10 million a year, and UA’s new contracts are still to be announced. Alabama announced in a press release that Roach and Gillespie had been promoted, adding that the University’s Board of Trustees had been “notified” of the agreements but had not yet given its formal approval.
“After meeting both of these guys, it was very clear to me that keeping Freddie and G as part of the staff was going to be important to our success,” stated DeBoer in a statement released by the program. These men are among the greatest coaches in the nation, they get along well with our players, and they are excellent recruiters.
DeBoer sought inspirations from Alabama and Washington, and his first staff seems to reflect that blend. Nick Sheridan, a former tight ends coach for the Huskies, is supposedly moving up to offensive coordinator following Ryan Grubb’s trade to the Seattle Seahawks. Along with him to the NFL was Grubb’s projected offensive line coach, Scott Huff.
The remaining Alabama coaches, according to many reports, as well as their individual Twitter bios:
Linebackers’ coach and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack
Maurice Linguist, co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs
Colin Hitschler, co-defensive coordinator and defensive back
Wide receiver JaMarcus Shephard
Inge William (linebackers)
Jay Nunez with the special teams
Roach played for the Tide from 2002 to 2005, then made many stops throughout the Southeastern Conference. Following three years at North Carolina, Gillespie joined Saban and company prior to the 2021 campaign. Gillespe will be in his 19th season as a coach this
autumn.
