Alabama Football: Pruitt to the Tide Just Makes Sense
Just like Kirby Smart to Georgia is a homecoming fitting for a lifetime film, Jeremy Pruitt returning to Alabama is a fairy tale homecoming.
Despite the countless rumors about how Georgia’s former defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt could not get along with anyone on the Georgia coaching staff, he was immediately a hot name when The University of Georgia decided not to renew him.
After serving the last two seasons as the Bulldog’s defensive coordinator, the Alabama Crimson Tide have announced that they have hired Jeremy Pruitt to be Alabama’s new defensive coordinator. Current Georgia head coach and Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart has agreed to coach Alabama through the College Football Playoff in pursuit of another national championship.
Whether Pruitt would be named coordinator before or after Alabama’s season had concluded was interesting to watch once it became apparent that Pruitt was to be the new defensive coordinator. One had to assume that the announcement would come sooner rather than later,though, with the potential impact on recruiting.
Pruitt has spent the last two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Georgia, leading the Bulldogs to the 8th and 17th overall defensive rankings in his two seasons between the hedges. While his ability to get along with others on a coaching staff has come under fire, his ability to coach a top-25 defense has never been in doubt.
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Prior to joining Richt’s staff at Georgia, Pruitt also spent the 2013 season as the defensive coordinator at Florida State. While with the Seminoles, he helped lead to them to the country’s third-ranked defense and a national championship in 2013.
Now Jeremy Pruitt will be returning home to Tuscaloosa. He not only played football for the Crimson Tide, he has also already served on Nick Saban’s staff before. After spending 3 seasons as the Director of Player Development, he coached defensive backs from 2010-12.
While some may question his ability to function on a staff that already includes Lane Kiffin, it appears Alabama head coach Nick Saban has a knack for handling coaches that have been deemed toxic. Kiffin has been choir boy compared to his behavior at previous stops and has been nominated for national awards for assistant coaches.
Will Alabama have a toxic coaching staff? Maybe. Will their staff again be filled with elite level coaches and recruiters? Absolutely.
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