Kevin Steele has Emerged as Alabama Defensive Coordinator Candidate

Steele served on Saban's first staff in Tuscaloosa back in 2007 as the program's defensive coordinator but was replaced the following season by Kirby Smart.

Joey Blackwell | Feb 5, 2023

Kevin Steele has Emerged as Alabama Defensive Coordinator Candidate /

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Alabama Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A former Alabama assistant could be the next defensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide, but it might not be the one fans were expecting.

According to multiple reports, Miami defensive coordinator and former Nick Saban assistant Kevin Steele has been linked to the current open DC position at Alabama. The news was first reported by John Brice of FootballScoop.

Over the past several weeks, two other former Crimson Tide assistant coaches have been linked to the job in Jeremy Pruitt and Todd Grantham. However, according to Brice, sources indicated that the hiring of Pruitt was impossible due to the ongoing NCAA probe regarding his actions at his former institution, Tennessee.

Grantham, on the other hand, was reported on Friday to be leaving his current position as analyst at Alabama to become an assistant coach for the New Orleans Saints in the NFL.

Over the past 72 hours, Steele has emerged as a legitimate candidate for the Alabama defensive coordinator position, which was left vacant after former DC Pete Golding departed for the same job at Ole Miss under Lane Kiffin. According to Brice, multiple sources informed him that Steele has spoken with Saban within the past week.

Steele is no stranger to Alabama fans. After serving as defensive coordinator in 2007 on Saban's first staff in Tuscaloosa, he then moved to serve as inside linebackers coach in 2008 when Kirby Smart replaced him.

Steele then served as defensive coordinator for Clemson from 2009-12 before returning to Alabama in 2013 as the team's director of player personnel. In 2014, Steele was the Crimson Tide's linebackers coach before heading off once again, this time to LSU as defensive coordinator.

Outside of his time at Alabama, Steele is no stranger to the SEC. He served as Auburn's defensive coordinator from 2016-20, including a brief stint in 2020 as the Tigers' interim head coach. In 2021, he also served as the interim head coach at Tennessee following the ousting of Pruitt.

In 2022, Steele was hired as defensive coordinator at Miami by Mario Cristobal, another former Saban assistant.

Joey Blackwell is an award-winning journalist and assistant editor for BamaCentral and has covered the Crimson Tide since 2018. He primarily covers Alabama football, men's basketball and baseball, but also covers a wide variety of other sports. Joey earned his bachelor's degree in History from Birmingham-Southern College in 2014 before graduating summa cum laude from the University of Alabama in 2020 with a degree in News Media. He has also been featured in a variety of college football magazines, including Lindy's Sports and BamaTime.

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