Sarkisian returns as Bama offensive coordinator
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Steve Sarkisian is returning to Alabama as offensive coordinator, a position he held for the 2016 team for the national championship game loss to Clemson.
Alabama coach Nick Saban announced the hiring of Sarkisian and six other assistants on Friday, along with the promotion of Pete Golding to defensive coordinator.
"We are excited to be able to assemble such a talented group of coaches to develop our players both on and off the field," Saban said. "These coaches have a great mix of energy, enthusiasm and experience that will be a tremendous asset to our program.
"They are all excellent teachers of the game and fantastic recruiters who bring a wealth of experience to our staff."
Saban overhauled his staff for the second straight year after defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi left to become the Cleveland Browns' defensive line coach and offensive coordinator Mike Locksley was hired to lead Maryland's program.
Sarkisian took over the Crimson Tide offense before that title game played in January 2017 after Lane Kiffin left following the semifinals to begin duties as Florida Atlantic's head coach. Alabama won the Southeastern Conference in 2016 before the defeat to Clemson, and had the same outcome last season.
The former Southern California and Washington head coach, Sarkisian had been an offensive analyst in Tuscaloosa, then left to become offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons . Falcons coach Dan Quinn fired Sarkisian and his defensive and special teams coordinators after a 7-9 season.
Sarkisian's Falcons offense ranked fourth in the NFL in passing but 27th in rushing last season.
Golding was co-defensive coordinator last season and will still coach inside linebackers.
Golding, special teams coordinator/tight ends coach Jeff Banks and cornerbacks coach Karl Scott are holdovers from the 2018 staff.
Alabama also hired Brian Baker and Charles Huff as associate head coaches. Baker will work with the defensive line and Huff will coach running backs. Charles Kelly is the associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach, while Kyle Flood will work with the offensive line, Sal Sunseri with outside linebackers, and Holmon Wiggins with wide receivers.
Flood spent the last two seasons with Sarkisian as the Falcons' assistant offensive line coach.
Golding came to Alabama after two years as defensive coordinator at UTSA.
Four of Saban's hires came from other SEC teams. He hired Baker and Huff from Mississippi State, Kelly from Tennessee and Sunseri — a former Tide assistant — from Florida.
Wiggins was Virginia Tech's wide receivers coach the past three seasons.
Tennessee adds Ansley as defensive coordinator
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee is spending big to give coach Jeremy Pruitt a more experienced staff with some familiar faces.
Pruitt announced staff changes Friday that included the hire of Derrick Ansley as a defensive coordinator who will handle all defensive calls. Pruitt had called Tennessee's defensive signals last season while Kevin Sherrer served as defensive coordinator.
Ansley was Alabama's defensive backs coach in 2016-17 when Pruitt was the Crimson Tide's defensive coordinator. Ansley spent the 2018 season coaching the Oakland Raiders' secondary.
"He brings a lot of experience, (has) coached a lot of really good players," Pruitt said. "Probably when I start a sentence, he can finish it."
Ansley agreed to a threeyear contract worth $1 million annually. He's joining the staff a month after Tennessee lured offensive coordinator Jim Chaney away from Georgia with a contract that will pay him $1.5 million each of the next two seasons and $1.7 million in 2021.
Sherrer remains at Tennessee coaching special teams and inside linebackers as part of the shuffling within the staff. Chris Weinke, a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at Florida State in 2000, moves from running backs coach to quarterbacks coach. David Johnson will coach running backs after working with receivers last season.
Pruitt also said Friday that Tee Martin, the quarterback of Tennessee's 1998 national championship team, would coach receivers and hold the title of passing game coordinator and assistant head coach. Tennessee announced last month that Martin was joining the staff without specifying the role he would fill.
Tennessee invested heavily in upgrading its staff after going 5-7 in Pruitt's debut season.
"I think we're committed to having the best staff we can possibly have to help get us where we want to be," Pruitt said.
Martin is receiving a $450,000 salary to go along with the seven-figure deals given to Chaney and Ansley. Tennessee had paid departing assistants Tyson Helton $1.2 million, Charles Kelly $330,000 and Terry Fair $255,000 last season.
Helton left his position as Tennessee's offensive coordinator to become Western Kentucky's head coach. Alabama announced Friday that Kelly has joined the Crimson Tide's staff as associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach, after he had been Tennessee's special teams coordinator and safeties coach last season. Fair coached Tennessee's cornerbacks in 2018.
Each of Tennessee's two new coordinators has previous ties to the program.
Chaney was Tennessee's offensive coordinator on the staffs of Lane Kiffin and Derek Dooley from 2009-12. Chaney also was Tennessee's interim head coach for a season-ending victory over Kentucky after Dooley was fired in 2012. Ansley coached Tennessee's defensive backs in 2012.
Pruitt noted the men on his staff have coached over 190 NFL draft picks, including 37 first-round selections. Tennessee didn't have a single player invited to the NFL scouting combine that starts March 1.