From my e-mail;
Nick Saban finds himself in need of some new assistants. How does he overcome losing staffers every offseason?
When you win as much as Nick Saban has since taking over at Alabama in 2007, losing your top assistants is the price of doing business. After winning the College Football Playoff title game last week, Saban has once again watched a number of his key staffers head off to different schools to take on bigger roles. But, it's probably safe to say he'll make some new hires that will work out and, come this time next offseason, will have some more openings as other programs poach his top guys.
So, what's the situation with Alabama's coaching staff this offseason? Let's take a look at some of the staff turnover that has happened in Tuscaloosa after Saban's sixth title with the Crimson Tide:
- We'll start with the biggest loss to the staff -- OC Steve Sarkisian. Sark, of course, is heading off to Texas to run the Longhorns, and he's taking a number of Alabama staffers with him. He hired OL coach Kyle Flood as his new offensive coordinator. Special teams coordinator Jeff Banks got a hefty raise to head to Austin. WR coach Holmon Wiggins is also joining Sark's Texas staff. And, lately, there have been rumors about DC Pete Golding potentially taking the same role in Austin.
- It isn't just Sarkisian who is raiding Alabama's staff. Of course, analyst Butch Jones landed the Arkansas State job earlier this offseason. Then, there's Marshall, which reportedly hired Alabama associate head coach/RB coach Charles Huff as its new head coach over the weekend. Meanwhile, one Alabama assistant and one staffer are reportedly in the mix for the Mizzou DC job. Oh, and analyst Charlie Strong is reportedly joining Urban Meyer's Jacksonville Jaguars staff.
- All the rumors and staff turnover won't faze Saban, though. That's just the cost of doing business at such a high level on a yearly basis. Alabama is reportedly nearing a deal with Bill O'Brien to replace Sarkisian as offensive coordinator. How long until he lands another head coaching gig? ESPN's David M. Hale broke down just how impressive Saban's coaching tree has become. No wonder even Bear Bryant's grandson admits Saban is the greatest college coach of all-time.
Trying to find the next Nick Saban has
cost SEC programs nearly $200 million since 2007. But, it isn't as easy as simply hiring a guy who has worked under Saban. Yes, some have success, but many others end up out of a job in a few years. Will Sarkisian, Huff and others find success away from Saban? We'll find out starting this fall. And, we'll also see who Saban brings in to groom as the next assistants who will potentially land head coaching gigs over the next few years.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68684008/1165235056.jpg.0.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: AUG 31 Chick-fil-A Kickoff - Duke v Alabama")
