Kevin Steele, Tommy Rees, Austin Armstrong Added to Alabama Coaching Staff

Steele set to coordinate defense, Rees the offense and Armstrong the inside linebackers

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama head football coach Nick Saban announced the addition of defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees and inside linebackers coach Austin Armstrong to the Crimson Tide coaching staff for the 2023 season on Monday.

“We are excited to bring in such a gifted group of coaches to develop our players both on and off the field,” Saban said. “Kevin, Tommy and Austin have a great mix of energy, enthusiasm and experience that will be a tremendous asset to our program. They are all excellent teachers of the game and fantastic recruiters who bring a wealth of experience and resources to our staff.”

Steele, a veteran defensive coordinator with 39 years of coaching experience, begins his third stint on the Alabama coaching staff after calling the defense at Miami in 2022. Steele served as the defensive coordinator at Alabama in 2007 and was the associate head coach and head defensive coach for the Crimson Tide in 2008. He returned to the Capstone in 2013 as the Director of Player Personnel before coaching the Tide’s inside linebacker in 2014.

“My history with Coach Saban goes back a long time and what he has built here at Alabama is truly amazing,” Steele said. “I understand the high expectations of both Coach Saban and the program, and I am looking forward to helping continue that success.”

Between those years on the Crimson Tide’s coaching staff, Steele coordinated the Clemson defense from 2009-11, the LSU defense in 2015 and the Auburn defense from 2016-20. In five years at Auburn, Steele’s units ranked in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense four times while producing 14 NFL Draft picks with multiple first-rounders.

Steele was head coach of the Baylor Bears for three seasons (1999-2002) and spent four years on Bobby Bowden’s staff at Florida State (2003-06) as the executive head coach. He also coached linebackers for the Carolina Panthers (1995-98) after six years on Tom Osborne’s staff at Nebraska.

Rees comes to the Capstone after coaching quarterbacks at Notre Dame for the past six years (2017-22) and serving as the Fighting Irish’s offensive coordinator for the past three seasons (2020-22).

“I have the utmost respect for what Coach Saban has built at Alabama and the tradition of this program,” Rees said. “I’m excited to have this opportunity, and I’m looking forward to getting in the meeting room and on the practice field with this team.”

After an outstanding playing career for the Irish where he posted a 23-8 (.733) record as the starting quarterback, Rees began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northwestern in 2015. He spent the 2016 season as an offensive assistant for the San Diego Chargers before returning to his alma mater to coach quarterbacks in 2017.

While at Notre Dame, Rees developed quarterbacks Ian Book, Brandon Winbush and Jack Coan while coordinating a balanced and explosive offense attack. The Fighting Irish ranked 19th nationally in 2021 in scoring offense (35.2 ppg) while Coan led the passing attack to an average of 282.5 yards per game that was 20thnationally. In 2020, ND rushed the ball for 211.1 yards per game to rank 24th nationally and then averaged just under 190 ypg on the ground in 2022.

Armstrong joins the Crimson Tide staff to coach the inside linebackers after serving as the defensive coordinator at Southern Miss for the past two seasons where he was the youngest defensive coordinator in the FBS.

“Growing up in West Alabama the opportunity to coach at The University of Alabama is a dream come true,” Armstrong said. “I have admired what Coach Saban has built in Tuscaloosa and the long history of tradition and success this program has enjoyed. I am excited to get to work as we continue the legacy of success that is synonymous with Alabama football.”

The Southern Miss defense, known as the Nasty Bunch during Armstrong’s tenure, ranked third nationally in tackles for loss per game (8.3), fifth in sacks (3.38) and seventh in interceptions (17). USM was also third in fourth down conversion defense (.231) in 2022. In his first year as USM, they ranked No. 42 nationally in total defense (385.5) besting their mark by 18 spots from the season before. His defense also ranked in the top 10 in the country in first downs allowed (No. 2), fumbles recovered (No. 4), red zone defense (No. 6) and defensive touchdowns (No. 7) while also finishing No. 15 in turnovers gained and No. 24 in passing yards allowed.

Prior to his time at Southern Miss, Armstrong coached inside linebackers at Louisiana in 2020 and was a defensive quality control coach at Georgia in 2019.

While appropriate members of The Board of Trustees have been notified of the proposed terms and conditions of this proposed appointment, the financial terms remain subject to approval by The Board of Trustees.