Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt and Alabama head coach Nick Saban meet at mid field before their game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tn., on Saturday October 20, 2018. Pre817
Alabama’s open defensive coordinator position has to be one of the biggest storylines in the country. The top coach in the game is looking to reinforce his defense. And a popular name for the position is an old friend. Fans and former players have thrown their support behind former Bama assistant Jeremy Pruitt.
To that end, Tide Illustrated’s Tony Tsoukalas reported on Thursday that Pruitt has in fact been back on campus recently and is “very much in play” for a return to coach Nick Saban’s staff.
Pruitt began his coaching career as a grad assistant at Alabama in 1997. He returned to Tuscaloosa in 2007 as the program’s Director of Player Development. After 3 seasons in that role, Pruitt was named the team’s defensive backs coach, where he’d spend another 3 years before leaving to take the D.C. job at Florida State.
Pruitt came back to Alabama in 2016 to replace Kirby Smart as Saban’s defensive coordinator. He spent two more years on staff before getting the Tennessee head coaching gig.
Two weeks ago, Pete Golding left the Crimson Tide to take the D.C. job on Lane Kiffin’s staff at Ole Miss. Since, Pruitt has been a popular name as a replacement.
The complicating factor in a potential hire is the NCAA. Pruitt is still awaiting word from the NCAA on what punishment he’ll face for his role in recruiting violations that led to his dismissal at Tennessee.
View Comments
Glenn Schumann is the right candidate for the DC job at Alabama.
I don't think Schumann wants to make a lateral move. I think if he leaves he leaves to be a P5 HC. It doesn't make sense for him to try to rebuild a fading Bama defense when he has the best defensive unit in CFB already.
Last year no question… this year however the secondary was way more suspect and OSU exposed it. I believe that Tennessee had some nerves and they really couldn’t look downfield much. Still a unit though and no one is questioning the offense except maybe at QB with an untested Beck.
Don't forget that LSU lit UGA up for nearly 500 yards passing and 30 points.
Yep. If UGA had last years offense LSU might have won.
"Don’t forget that LSU lit UGA up for nearly 500 yards passing and 30 points."
All in garbage time.... It was 35-10 at half.
OSU has 4 1st receivers and they are really good. OSU would have beat Alabama by 21 points.
Schumann is a graduate of Alabama. His wife went to Alabama. He was a GA under Saban for 4 years at Alabama. He has plenty of incentive to make the move.
I’d rather have Pruitt. But Glenn would be a good back up.
I’ll take Schumann as my first choice with Pruitt as a good option.
I would also rather have Pruitt, but Schumann would be an incredible hire as well.
TROLL TIDE !
Doug...Agreed by most Tide fans.
Some Trolls are to far gone living in fantasy land expecting people to believe they are a sports writer
You can twist it all you want to Ohio state didn’t play Alabama. The same Ohio state team lost to Michigan… TCU beat Michigan it doesn’t matter who beat who
Todd Grantham please....after all, he’s been off field analyzing all season In Tuscaloosa so no moving van required...
You bring a good point humper!
Look at the UGA trolls with nothing else to do.
Nothing else but celebrate back to back National Titles and something your beloved St. Nick ain't never done: Gone 15-0, Gump!
Lol Dude, they’ve been there and done that…multiple times. If you want credit for that extra game, have at it.
Like I said redneck, nothing better to do. Troll on.
There is to much to list that Alabama has done that no other school has done not just Ga. I think it’s so funny how Ga fans can’t talk about their own team with out mentioning Alabama and comparing them.
us Alabama fans say ROLL TIDE , the envy fans that want to be just like us and hate us say TROLL TIDE
Kirby has never gone 11-0 in the conference like Saban did. Glad to see that 2nd and 26 still has a hold over you.
11 game conference record is impressive no doubt but to your point, Kirby has never won a Natty defeating a team that only played 7 games either...
Go hump yourself, douchbag!
The Nick Saban coaching rehabilitation clinic is good but it can’t do miracles. No way Grantham gets the job.
TROLL TIDE
FU “Humper”!!
Humper...No we do not want Todd-Exotic.
Shue with JP as an analyst, the CFP world would be in big trouble.
Pruitt will be on staff next year at Bama, whether that is as an Analyst or DC is yet to be seen.
You know what sucks ? Pruitt helps Bama. Comes to Tennessee and leaves us worse off with NCAA problems THEN returns Abe helps Bama.
He is like a double secret agent that was sent to Knoxville to cause mayhem and leave us worse off
Doesn’t hold a candle to Muschamp, oh he of UGa Secret Agent immortality...took down not one, but two rivals in the east...
Umm, UT was a roaring Dumpster Fire way before Pruitt arrived in Knoxville.
Yeah, Pruitt was so bad he sent Dooley and Booch to Hillbillyville before him to lay the groundwork.
Hah!
It's obvious that someone sent you to "Dorkville" or "Idiotville" or "Circle Jerk U" along with Leghumper (pervert of a name).. Your POS coach took a picture of Saban's recruiting board when he left Tuscaloosa and Smart is a loser coach. The chickens will come home to roost one day soon and you will be back sucking your thumb while eating animal crackers. Go FY!
Butt hurt much?
Ha ha! Give me a list of 5 stars and highly rated 4 stars by position and I'll draw you up bama's recruiting board in about 5 minutes (probably less).
Just returning the favor for Tyrone Beaman.
Schumann or Lake would be the obvious 1A,1B choice. Pruitt may come on board as an analyst and nothing more until he has a resolution from NCAA. Grantham is probably going to move on. Peru85 you are correct that UT was a dumpster fire before Pruitt/Fulmer, UT gave Fulmer ???to fade away and save his name. Most of the AD knew what was going on. Then they cleaned house. Now they are on the right track but have got to find a way to beat Ga.
Time will tell if this is a fluke or Tennessee is gonna stay competitive. As of right now Pruitt has just about as much claim as Huepel for what Tennessee did considering most of the players including the QB were recruited by Pruitt.
2011, 2012 National Champs…Nick has done this before troll.
I think Corch2.0 was referring to 15-0. True. But CNS went 14-0 and 13-0, both with a NC. In other words, no one left standing, including the Bullpups.
This is a Bama power move. They are brining in "McDonald's Bag" Pruitt to be DC and head coach in waiting since Saban is in his final years. When Saban retires they will hand the program off to Pruitt. The program has been on the downhill now for a few years so it'll be a smooth transition to Pruitt who will run it straight into the ground.
Pruitt won't ever be the head coach at Alabama. And if "on the downhill" means losing 4 games in the last 3 seasons (2 seasons with those losses) Bama will be fine. Except for one game 2 seasons ago I really enjoyed watching your team play UGAFly.
UGAFly...You must be a writer of fiction. Any new books published ?
But he’s not. He and others are smart enough to not go be an ancient coach’s last effort to stay close to the top. Instead, he’s with a young dynamic coaching staff that picks the right players and works with a much younger, much more energetic coach with cutting edge schematics. That’s what we call a no brainer to stay.
The old dinosaur bringing in Pruitt just shows how desperate he’s become. No other decent coordinator wants the job.
I guess Ga was desperate when Mark Richt Couldn’t get it done
Totally agree.
Somealabamaboy.........
" I believe that Tennessee had some nerves and they really couldn’t look downfield much. "
Yep, that tends to happen when the defense is on the QB within 2 seconds, on every play!!!! People don't get it. Georgia can pressure anybody, anytime they choose! Georgia generally prefers rushing 3 or 4 and dropping others in coverage! I'm not a huge fan of that. I prefer playing man and lighting people up!!!!!
Ohio state is what you see when Georgia gives so much respect, that they hurt their own efforts!!!! Too much respect!!!!! Oregon, Tennessee and TCU is what you see when Georgia just LETS THE DAWGS OUT!!!!
PS. Why isn't that our opening theme song anyway??? LOL
Negan
Back to back Georgia buffoon …
Isn’t it interesting that Negan’s Georgia’s QB just got arrested and put in the slammer…
What an outstanding knucklehead…
Great example for young kids…
Negan… the buffoon.
lol!