Nick Saban Utilizing Both the Familiar and New to Fill Coordinator Spots
Nick Saban may be 71 years old, but the Alabama head coach hasn't slowed down at all. He's still seen dancing with recruits, playing virtual reality video games, traveling around Europe and adapting to an ever-evolving game to try and stay on top.
But at the same time, there's certain things he hasn't changed on. For example, Saban still wears the same style straw hat to practice every day. He still won't give a single hint about who the starter will be during a quarterback competition, and still holds his players to a certain standard.
So what did all that mean for the legendary head coach when he had to fill both coordinator vacancies this offseason with Bill O'Brien going back to the NFL and Pete Golding off to Ole Miss?
Well, it turns out Saban was able to mix the best of both worlds with new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who is four decades younger than the head coach, and new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, who was on Saban's original staff at Alabama.
"I'm really pleased with the two new coordinators that we have," Saban said at SEC media days. "Kevin Steele obviously has been with us before, so he understands the program and the expectation.
“Tommy Rees is one of the brightest young guys that I've seen in a long time in this business and he's been a great addition and brought a lot of positives to the offensive side of the ball in terms of his ideas and how he relates to players, how he presents to players, his energy and enthusiasm on the field has been contagious. I think I see a great trust in our players with Tommy and what he tries to do from a leadership standpoint on offense.”
This year's duo truly embodies old school and new school coming together. Rees is just 31 years old and in his second ever coordinator job at the collegiate level. On the other side of the ball, Steele has been coaching college football since before Rees was even born, making stops at four different SEC schools, including multiple stints at Alabama.
Rees was playing college football himself within the last decade at Notre Dame and is coming to Tuscaloosa after six seasons as an assistant at his alma mater– three as the quarterbacks coach and three as offensive coordinator. This makes it easier for him to relate to the players.
At media days, Saban was asked what the challenges are for him to relate to Rees with the large age gap. Saban quickly replied that he still feels like he's 39, so it isn't a problem.
His relationship with the players was evident when offensive lineman JC Latham spoke at media days.
"I can tell he has a love for the game, a passion for the game," Latham said. "I think as far as the offense that he's installed and brought to the team, it utilizes everybody's strengths. We do whatever we got to do for whatever our strength is to succeed on that play or the series or whatever it might be. So understanding that, I think we have a great group."
Rees' personal experience playing at quarterback and working with quarterbacks is beneficial for an offense currently experiencing a quarterback battle between redshirt sophomore Jalen Milroe, redshirt freshman Ty Simpson and redshirt sophomore transfer Tyler Buchner, who Rees worked with at Notre Dame.
"He’s a very good quarterback coach in terms of helping guys improve at that position, which I think is critical," Saban said. "We don’t have any issues. He’s very respectful of what we wanna do and how we wanna do it, and the guy’s hungry, wants to learn."
Saban is a more defensive-minded coach, but has shown a willingness and trust in recent years to expand the offensive playbook with coordinators like Lane Kiffin, Brian Daboll and Steve Sarkisian. Rees will now get the opportunity to do the same.
On the defensive side of the ball, Saban and Steele are familiar with each other. Steele was Saban's original defensive coordinator at Alabama in 2007. He went to Clemson for a few seasons before returning to Tuscaloosa to serve as the director of player personnel in 2013 and linebackers coach in 2014 along with special assistant to the head coach duties.
Since his last stint at Alabama, Steele has spent time coaching at LSU, Auburn and Miami. Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry said Steele recruited him while at Auburn, and McKinstry was excited for their paths to cross again with the Crimson Tide.
When asked about the transition between Golding and Steele, outside linebacker Dallas Turner said that both are excellent defensive coordinators, but Steele obviously has the edge when it comes to experience.
"With Alabama, he understands the standard," Turner said. "He knows what we're supposed to be doing as a defense. Being under Coach Saban, just being there for a long time. Also, he's been a defensive coordinator for a very long time, just been in the game for a very long time, as well."
That was something Saban reiterated. Steele already knows the expectations at Alabama and especially of a Crimson Tide defense.
Replacing assistants and coordinators is nothing new for Saban. Steele is the fifth full-time defensive coordinator of the Saban era, and Rees is the ninth offensive coordinator. This also isn't the first offseason that he's had to replace both coordinators.
To stay in the same vein as Saban's baking analogy at media days, the head coach is trying to whip up just the right mix to get back to the top of the college football mountain and has to hope that Rees and Steele are the correct ingredients at coordinator to create the perfect recipe for championship success.
See also:
Special SEC Media Days Edition of The Joe Gaither Show
Lane Kiffin on Why Nick Saban is the Best Coach in College Football History
Alabama Not Predicted as Preseason SEC Champion for First Time Since 2015
