Brent Key is interior OL coach; Cristobal to T/TE; Williams to off-field position

[CraigD]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

That was my opinion too.

And then I remember our OL got an award for being very good last season. I guess there's always room for improvement.

I confess that I scratched my head a bit when we won that award.

 

[AlabasterBama]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

This move has been needed for two years. OL play has gotten worse since Pendry/Stoutland groups. CMC is a great recruiter, which is why he is still employed by Saban.

 

[formersoldier71]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Hope he's a better OL coach than he was as OC.

I'm guessing so. He was OL coach at UCF from 2009-2014 and was a Broyles nominee the last three years at that position.

 

[KrAzY3]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Generally speaking, if someone gets promoted to offensive/defensive coordinator, they were doing a pretty good job coaching what ever position they had prior to that. You don't go searching around your staff going hmm, let's find the guy who sucked at his job to promote.

Sounds like a good move by Saban, as is to be expected. I'm not sure why I see some wringing of hands when it comes to Bobby Williams though, for all the beating he took early in the year didn't his guys come through splendidly when it was all said and done? The guy has been here for every Nick Saban Alabama championship, I'm fine with what ever Saban decides when it comes to Bobby Williams.

 

[Chukker Veteran]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

My perception was that the special team's performance had substantially improved this past season. If I'm wrong about that I'm sure somebody will correct the record. :smile:

Seriously, I'm not sure if the stats back it up, but it does seem like the special team stepped it up a notch. Maybe I just have that impression since we won the title. That can tend to lend a positive slant to things.

 

[WMack4Bama]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

I had hoped it meant a front office job. But from everything I'm hearing he'll be coaching WRs...and Napier is being bumped. Still early though

There may yet be hope. Info was wrong about Napier being bumped. All we know now is that Key is going to be hired. Not sure how it will affect everyone else.

 

[CajunCrimson]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Some of this could be a subtle change in offensive philosophy as we move from Coker to Barnett.....

 

[BamaMoon]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Some of this could be a subtle change in offensive philosophy as we move from Coker to Barnett.....

You just beat me to it...this is my thought along with the previous posts about our struggles with pass blocking last year.

Not to start another "Blake Barnett is too skinny thread" but we need to keep his shirt cleaner than Jake's this year (if indeed he wins the job -- but this would apply to any of the potential candidates!).

 

[bamagradinATL]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Generally speaking, if someone gets promoted to offensive/defensive coordinator, they were doing a pretty good job coaching what ever position they had prior to that. You don't go searching around your staff going hmm, let's find the guy who sucked at his job to promote.

Sounds like a good move by Saban, as is to be expected. I'm not sure why I see some wringing of hands when it comes to Bobby Williams though, for all the beating he took early in the year didn't his guys come through splendidly when it was all said and done? The guy has been here for every Nick Saban Alabama championship, I'm fine with what ever Saban decides when it comes to Bobby Williams.

I was thinking the same thing. It took less than 2 months for folks to get amnesia and turn on Coach Williams. I'm not in the know, but I'm willing to bet Coach Williams will be at Alabama as long as Coach Saban is in charge.

 

[Moro Creek]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

FWIW, Since Key was not named the head coach after O'leary retired, he will be paid $700k per his UCF contract.

 

[bamakeeb]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

I'm going to try to say this the right way... sometimes national awards go to players/groups based more on perception rather than actual performance. When a RB has the kind of season Henry had, the OL is going to get some votes. I think we'd all agree that run blocking was good last year - but we were 45th in the nation in sacks allowed and 101 tackles for loss. Can't find any stats on hurries, but the eye test says we were average at best and possibly in the bottom half in CFB at worst.

THANK YOU!!! Getting hit in the backfield and the stupid penalties was beyond frustrating. Just goes to show how special Henry is.

 

[RTR91]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Some haven't been satisfied with the OL while Mario was coach. Believe we can all agree he should bring a blocking improvement to the TEs, though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TideMan09]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

I honestly hate to see shuffling on the Coaching Staff after a NC Year, but, everything Coach Saban does it will improve our team, if I were the rest of college football, I'd be banging my head against that Crimson Wall a few extra times & harder..Cause Bama will only get better..

 

[bama579]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Deleted. Too strange a subject.

 

[gtowntide]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Every time CNS has shuffled his staff we've ended up better. You can trust that all the issues we have talked about have been eating at CNS too. Really when you get right down to it, special teams played a huge part in our victory over Clemson. This coaching staff is the best in the country and for me as long as Coach Saban is in charge, I'm not worried one bit.

 

[imauafan]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Generally speaking, if someone gets promoted to offensive/defensive coordinator, they were doing a pretty good job coaching what ever position they had prior to that. You don't go searching around your staff going hmm, let's find the guy who sucked at his job to promote.

Sounds like a good move by Saban, as is to be expected. I'm not sure why I see some wringing of hands when it comes to Bobby Williams though, for all the beating he took early in the year didn't his guys come through splendidly when it was all said and done? The guy has been here for every Nick Saban Alabama championship, I'm fine with what ever Saban decides when it comes to Bobby Williams.

Every year we have had breakdowns in special teams. Yes we have improved most of those years but seems like we should not have so many breakdowns every year. It seemed like our special teams were solid the entire year when Ron Middleton was the ST coach.

If Napier is staying and Cristobal is coaching T's and TE's then that would imply to me that Williams is leaving, perhaps moving to an off-the-field role. Or if Williams is staying to coach the WR's and Napier is not leaving then that MIGHT mean that Kiffin is leaving and Napier will replace him as OC.

 

[bamablood6]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Every year we have had breakdowns in special teams. Yes we have improved most of those years but seems like we should not have so many breakdowns every year. It seemed like our special teams were solid the entire year when Ron Middleton was the ST coach.

If Napier is staying and Cristobal is coaching T's and TE's then that would imply to me that Williams is leaving, perhaps moving to an off-the-field role. Or if Williams is staying to coach the WR's and Napier is not leaving then that MIGHT mean that Kiffin is leaving and Napier will replace him as OC.

Well most of the year the Return team had more penalty yards than return yards..... does anyone remember all of the block in the back calls against Bama? That is some coaching issue and player issue, and Coach Saban knows that.

My concern is that Burton Burns could retire (just a crazy guess).....he has mentioned this several times, but he still needs another year I think to get his 10 years in Alabama. And Williams experience throughout most of his career has been a RB coach. But rumor has been that Napier is leaving..........

I dont want to lose Burns or Napier from this staff.......

Hey, Maybe Coach or the REC has the inside track on the NCAA approving 10 on field coaches...LOL

 

[Harmost]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Interesting -- wonder if the rumor about the interior OL and tackles roles being split is right. Is anyone else doing anything like that right now?

 

[imauafan]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Interesting -- wonder if the rumor about the interior OL and tackles roles being split is right. Is anyone else doing anything like that right now?

I don't know about now but I believe we did that under Stallings.

 

[jthomas666]

Re: Brent Key to be Alabama OL coach

Not to start another "Blake Barnett is too skinny thread" but we need to keep his shirt cleaner than Jake's this year.

That's not setting the bar particularly high.