Two Crimson Tide assistant coaches leaving for new jobs

Ben Stansell, Assistant Sports Editor

Coaching turnover has become the norm at Alabama, and two assistants have already announced that they will be leaving Nick Saban’s program for other positions in the last week.

Offensive line coach Brent Key is returning to his alma mater Georgia Tech while wide receivers coach Josh Gattis will be Michigan’s new offensive coordinator.

Key spent three seasons in Tuscaloosa. Gattis only spent one after being hired away from Penn State last offseason.

Key and Gattis are not the first assistants to depart this since the end of the regular season. Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley was announced as Maryland’s new head coach before the College Football Playoff began.

Replacing assistants has become one of Saban’s most important offseason tasks in recent years. Many coordinators and position coaches only stay with the Alabama program for one or two seasons before being hired at other schools.

Although Locksley, Gattis and Key are the only assistants to leave at this point, there could be more on their way out.