The 17-year reign of Nick Saban as Alabama football’s head coach was marked by consistent defensive dominance. The team perennially placed in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense during his time, and that “defensive DNA” has continued past his retirement.
Over the past 10 years, six different coaches have donned the title of Alabama defensive coordinator. Below is a breakdown of each DC’s time with the Crimson Tide, the team’s accomplishments in that span and where the coach is now.
Kirby Smart — 2008-2015
Ten seasons ago was Smart’s last in Tuscaloosa before becoming the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs. He was the longest-tenured assistant coach in the Saban Era, and in his time the Crimson Tide finished top five in scoring defense for six seasons and top 10 all eight. This included 8.2 PPG allowed — one of only three times a college team did so this century — in the 2011 national championship-winning campaign.
Saban commended Smart’s leadership, and referred to him as “really enthusiastic and bright”. He also called him a “good teacher” and that he “related well with players”.
Following Alabama’s 45-40 win over Clemson in the 2015-16 CFP national championship, Smart left for Athens. It took only two seasons for the Bulldogs to reach a national championship themselves, and under Smart they won back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022.
Jeremy Pruitt — 2016-17
Following the long and uber-successful Smart era, Pruitt came in and helped the Crimson Tide to a No. 1 finish in scoring defense, allowing only 13.0 points per contest. The next season — in which Alabama beat Smart’s Georgia team 26-23 for the national championship — the defense once again led the nation in points allowed at 11.9 per game. The team also forced 24 total turnovers and had a +14 turnover margin, which ranked fifth in the country.
Like Smart, Pruitt’s tenure was a jumping-off point for an SEC head coaching gig. He took over for the Tennessee Volunteers and remained there for three years, but since spending a season as an assistant for the New York Giants immediately after his stint in Knoxville, he has been out of coaching.
Tosh Lupoi — 2018
Lupoi was an internal promotion after Pruitt’s departure, going from co-defensive coordinator to official DC. He would only spend one season in the role, and it was the first time since Saban’s first year in 2007 that Alabama finished outside the top 10 in scoring, allowing 18.1 PPG and falling to 12th.
It was an overall change-of-pace year for the Crimson Tide. While the defense went from first to 12th, the offense went from 15th to third and scored 45.6 per contest, and the team once again made it to the national championship game. Lupoi left after the 28-point loss to Clemson in the title game, and after multiple NFL stints, he has returned to college as the DC for the Oregon Ducks.
Pete Golding — 2019-2022
For the second year in a row, the co-defensive coordinator was promoted to fill a departure. During Golding’s four seasons, the offense-defense reversal continued, as the Crimson Tide remained among the elite upper echelon for points scored but never regained its high ranking for points allowed.
The reversal doesn’t necessarily mean the defense significantly regressed. Even with higher point totals, Golding’s unit was good enough for a national championship squad in 2020 and a runner-up finish in 2021.
“He wants his defense to have a nasty mentality, get the ball and play fast and aggressive,” former defensive back Malachi Moore said, praising Golding’s playstyle and leadership.
Following the 2022 season, Golding left for Ole Miss and has been DC there since.
Kevin Steele — 2023
This one-year stint was a homecoming of sorts, as Steele was the defensive coordinator in Saban’s first season with Alabama. The 2023 campaign was one of the grittiest in Saban’s time, both for the defense — which still wasn’t as resounding as the days of old, hovering in the teens nationally and allowing 19.0 PPG — and the program overall. The team fell short of its previous standard of dominance and faced claims that its dynasty was over, even from former players.
Despite the struggles, Alabama forged its way to the College Football Playoff and was an overtime thriller away from another national championship berth. It was a fittingly hard-fought season that wound up being Saban’s last, and with his exit came Steele’s as well. He has not coached since.
Kane Wommack — 2024
The former South Alabama DC brought in a new defensive system under new Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, a 4-2-5 base defense with unique vocabulary to distinguish the new era of Alabama football.
“[Wommack] is one of the best defensive minds in college football,” DeBoer said, adding that he’ll help “build the kind of culture that is required to win football games.”
The first season was a success, as the Crimson Tide once again climbed back to the top 10 in points allowed and was top five in turnovers forced. With new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb trying to revitalize an attack that struggled at times, fans will hope that the defense will have enough support to bolster a season that brings championship hardware back to Tuscaloosa.
