Tide Staff Taking Shape
New Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has started to form his initial coaching staff at Alabama.
Many fans were wondering who he might bring from Washington and who he might keep on the current coaching staff.
Those plans have started to take shape. In a report earlier on Sunday, former Washington Huskies offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb was expected to join DeBoer at Alabama in 2024. The rest of the staff, particularly on the offensive side of the football, is starting to take shape.
According to Chris Low of ESPN, Washington's wide receiver coach and director of scouting are both expected to join the Crimson Tide's staff.
JaMarcus Shephard, the wide receiver coach, had some interest around the country as a potential offensive coordinator following a season where Washington produced two 1,000-yard receivers in Rome Odunze and Ja'Lynn Polk.
The director of scouting, Jarret McElwain, might sound familiar to Crimson Tide fans. His father is Jim McElwain, who was an offensive coordinator for former head coach Nick Saban from 2008 to 2011, where he helped coach Alabama to 2 national championships.
Low didn't stop the report there, however. He also reported that Crimson Tide running back coach Rob Gillespie and defensive line coach Freddie Roach will stay with Alabama.
Gillespie has been with the Crimson Tide since 2021. He is an ace recruiter for Alabama and has coached a pair of running backs that Alabama has produced in the NFL, Brian Robinson Jr. and Jahmyr Gibbs. Most recently, Gillespie coached Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams as Alabama's top two running backs in 2023. McClellan declared for the NFL draft while Williams decided to transfer to Florida State.
Freddie Roach has been with Alabama since 2020. He has coached players such as Christian Barmore and Phidarian Mathis to the NFL. Roach is good a recruiter with SEC ties and will help Alabama remain a powerhouse across homes in the southeast.
DeBoer is also expected to have his offensive line coach, Scott Huff, but no official report has been made yet.
The current Alabama Crimson Tide staff looks like this:
HC: Kalen DeBoer
RB: Rob Gillespie
WR: JaMarcus Shephard
OL: Vacant
TE/ST: Vacant
DL: Freddie Roach
LB: Vacant
CB: Vacant
S: Vacant
Director of scouting: Jarret McElwain
It is still unclear at this time what Courtney Morgan's official title is, but he has been working on retaining the current Crimson Tide roster since he arrived in Tuscaloosa late Friday night.
2023 Rose Bowl Welcome Disney Land
Gallery Credit: Crimson Tide Photos/ UA Athletics