College football insider gives the latest on Alabama's attempt to hire Jeremy Pruitt
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is reportedly trying to hire former Tennessee Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt as his defensive coordinator in Tuscaloosa. Pruitt previously served as Alabama's defensive coordinator in 2016 and 2017. He was also on Alabama's staff in various roles from 2007 to 2012. Bringing Pruitt back to Alabama to […]
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is reportedly trying to hire former Tennessee Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt as his defensive coordinator in Tuscaloosa.
Pruitt previously served as Alabama's defensive coordinator in 2016 and 2017. He was also on Alabama's staff in various roles from 2007 to 2012.
Bringing Pruitt back to Alabama to replace Pete Golding as the Crimson Tide's defensive coordinator seems like a no-brainer for Saban.
The big problem is that Pruitt still doesn't know what kind of punishment he'll receive from the NCAA for his role in the recruiting violations that took place at Tennessee (violations that ultimately got Pruitt fired for cause).
CBS Sports college football insider Dennis Dodd confirmed this week that Saban has reached out to Pruitt, though no offer has been made.
Alabama coach Nick Saban has reached out to former Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt regarding the Crimson Tide's vacant defensive coordinator position, sources tell CBS Sports. It is believed no offer has been made at this time, and Alabama would not speak on Pruitt's candidacy when contacted for comment.
Sources indicate Pruitt would face long odds to getting hired by the Tide as the subject of an ongoing NCAA investigation. He was fired at Tennessee two years ago as the NCAA levied allegations of 18 Level I violations on the Volunteers. Level I violations are most serious on the NCAA's scale of infractions.
It seems clear that Pruitt is Saban's top choice. But it seems unlikely that Pruitt will be the hire — at least not at defensive coordinator. I don't think Saban is going to hire a guy that might get hit with major NCAA penalties later this summer (the NCAA isn't expected to hand down penalties until at least April or May).
Now, maybe Saban hires Pruitt in an off-field role (maybe as an analyst). That seems very possible. And he could help Alabama game plan and prepare for the various offenses they'll see. That wouldn't be surprising at all.
If Pruitt isn't hired as the defensive coordinator, which it seems he won't be, then Alabama analyst Todd Grantham could reportedly be an option.
Grantham was the defensive coordinator at Florida from 2018 to 2021 before he was fired by then-Gators head coach Dan Mullen.
Featured image via Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel via Imagn Content Services
