Kevin Steele would be a good hire, but not the right hire for Alabama’s defensive coordinator

He went against the grain for Alabama’s offensive coordinator, but will Nick Saban do the same for the defensive coordinator?

Kevin Steele has emerged as the top candidate to replace Pete Golding for the Crimson Tide via several reports. The 64-year-old is a wealth of experience as a defensive assistant and coordinator, running defenses at Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Auburn, and Miami.

He started as Alabama’s defensive coordinator in 2007 until Kirby Smart took over.

Steele’s groups at Clemson (2009-11) were decent as he helped the Tigers to two winning seasons, including a 10+ win campaign in 2011. Clemson recorded 50 interceptions under Steele (four returned for touchdowns) and 91 sacks. Steele returned to the Southeastern Conference in 2015 to coordinate LSU’s defense. The Tigers finished 9-3, generating 10 interceptions and 34 sacks.

His five seasons at Auburn (2016-20) were his best ones. Auburn allowed under 20 points per game in four of five years.

Steele positioned several players for the NFL Draft, and the Tigers enjoyed a 10-4 season in 2017.

Steele would be a good hire for Alabama, but not the right one. 

He would improve the Crimson Tide’s defense, but getting Steele would go against Saban’s nature of defensive coordinators. He usually hires young, fiery, energetic, and passionate guys who can motivate and recruit. Saban brought in Will Muschamp (LSU), Kirby Smart, and Jeremy Pruitt. All three were young and fit the characteristics above. Saban won a BCS National Championship with Muschamp in 2003. He won four national championships with Smart as a defensive coordinator and one with Pruitt in 2017.

Pete Golding was not a proven product before coming to Alabama and was not prepared for the job, but Saban even won a ring with him. Saban prefers his coordinator, especially on defense, to be young. He wants them to relate to players, get into them when they are not performing well, motivates them to be at their best, and have them ready to execute winning football. Steele would be a short-term solution, but the Crimson Tide would have to return to the drawing board for another coordinator.

Alabama fans would not like the move.

They have been screaming for names such as Pruitt, Glenn Schumann, Jim Leonhard, or Jimmy Lake. Steele, though he has coached at Alabama before, would not attract the fan base. He is good, but Steele would not be the solution. 

Saban has time to get the coordinator he wants with spring ball starting in March.

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