Pretty good staff

The top four teams in the first College Football Playoff poll announced Tuesday night all are coached by members of the 2015 Alabama staff.

No. 1 Georgia is coached by Kirby Smart, who was the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator in 2015. Nick Saban is the coach of No. 2 Alabama, as he has been since 2007.

Mel Tucker, coach of No. 3 Michigan State, was the Tide’s defensive backs coach in 2015. Mario Cristobal, coach of No. 4 Oregon, was Alabama’s offensive line coach.

Two other assistants for Alabama in 2015 — offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and receivers coach Billy Napier — also are head coaches.

Kiffin is at Ole Miss, which is ranked No. 15 in the CFP rankings.

Napier is the coach at Louisiana-Lafayette, which isn’t in the CFP poll but is No. 24 in The Associated Press poll.

“We’ve always had success here because of the people in the organization, and that most certainly starts with the coaching staff that we’ve had,” Saban said. “We’ve had some fantastic coaches here that have done an outstanding job with our players.

“It’s no surprise to me that they’re doing extremely well in their own programs now, and I think actually do have some of the best teams in the country.”

Saban and his five assistants from the 2015 staff who are now head coaches lead teams that are a combined 43-5 this season.

“It’s probably not a coincidence,” Smart said. “It probably comes from where you’re coaching at, how fertile your recruiting area is.

“When you win, you have people on your staff that get jobs. So, No. 1, you’ve got to recruit well and you’ve got to win to get that opportunity.”

Alabama won the 2015 national championship with a 14-1 record and beat Clemson 45-40 in the title game.