Alabama Football needs a DB coach and it might be an Auburn guy

Well-traveled Alabama Football cornerback assistant coach, Jay Valai is now on the staff at Oklahoma. Crimson Tide fans have been unconcerned about his departure. Nick Saban is often described as the primary coach of Alabama football defensive backs. Saban is actively involved with the DBs but he is not the primary coach for either the Tide cornerbacks or safeties.

Many Alabama football fans want Jeremy Pruitt to return to Saban’s staff. Pruitt was on the New York Giants staff but that house was cleaned after the firing of Joe Judge. It is unclear if the NCAA would block any college team from hiring Pruitt while the NCAA’s review of Tennessee recruiting violations is active.

Pruitt coached defensive backs for Nick Saban before he became Defensive Coordinator for the Crimson Tide. Current Tide DC, Pete Golding also has experience coaching secondary players. Just how well a former DC would fit working under Golding might be an issue. However, it has not been a problem with Charles Kelly, though Kelly has never been a DC in Tuscaloosa.

On Thursday, Bruce Feldman reported Miami Hurricane defensive backs coach, Travaris Robinson has drawn interest from multiple programs. The most high-profile of those programs are Alabama Football and Georgia. The Bulldogs should have an inside track for Robinson, given he previously worked for Will Muschamp at South Carolina.

With the exit of Dan Lanning, Muschamp is now co-DC for Kirby Smart. Robinson is a Miami native and is a respected recruiter working in a hotbed of high school talent. Along with Miami, Robinson has coached defensive backs at Western Kentucky, Southern Miss, Texas Tech, Florida and Auburn, At South Carolina, he was also Defensive Coordinator.

Alabama football fans might need some time to warm up to the idea of Robinson on a Nick Saban staff. Not only did he coach at Auburn, but Robinson was also an Auburn Tiger from 1999-2002. He was first-team All-SEC in the 2002 season.

Another name has surfaced that would please Crimson Tide fans. Former Crimson Tide assistant, Karl Scott was widely rumored to be joining Bill Napier’s staff at Florida. Scott apparently passed on that opportunity to remain an NFL coach with the Minnesota Vikings. Scott spent three seasons on Crimson Tide staffs from 2018-2020. It is not known if he is interested in a return to Tuscaloosa as just a position coach.

Unless it is to nab Karl Scott or Robinson, Nick Saban does not have to be in a hurry to fill the Crimson Tide staff vacancy.