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Kevin Steele is back for his third stint with the Alabama Crimson Tide. He will serve as the defensive coordinator in 2023, replacing Pete Golding, who held the position from 2018-2022.
Steele served as the Alabama defensive coordinator from 2007-2008 and was a position coach from 2013-2014. The South Carolina native started coaching high-level football in 1980 as a student assistant for the Tennessee Volunteers.
Former players react to the Kevin Steele hire
Former Alabama football players excitedly took to Twitter for the Kevin Steele hire.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Marquis Maze and Reggie Ragland were all standout players during their time at the University of Alabama. Clinton-Dix was a consensus All-American in 2013 and led the SEC in interceptions in 2012, while Maze had an impressive 136 receptions and 1,844 yards over four years. Ragland, who played under Kevin Steele, earned the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2015.
Previous Alabama coaching experience
Kevin Steele will return to the Alabama Crimson Tide for a third stint in 2023. He joined the team in 2007 as the defensive coordinator during Nick Saban's first year as head coach. During that season, the Crimson Tide allowed 22 points per game, ranking 27th in the nation. However, Steele's defense saw marked improvement in 2008, holding opponents to just 14.3 ppg (seventh in the country).
Steele left for Clemson in 2009 but rejoined Saban and Alabama as the director of player personnel in 2013 and linebackers coach in 2014. The Crimson Tide went 23-4 during that span.
Why did Steele ever leave powerhouse Alabama?
Steele left Alabama for the first time to join newly hired head coach Dabo Swinney at Clemson from 2009-2011. He served as the defensive coordinator under Swinney. The Clemson Tigers went 25-16 during his run, including an embarrassing 70-33 loss to West Virginia in his final game.
He left the Crimson Tide again in 2014 to join Les Miles' coaching staff at LSU. After serving as the linebackers coach for Alabama, Steele slid back into a defensive coordinator role with the Tigers. He spent just one season there before calling the Auburn defense from 2016-2020. He spent the previous two seasons with Miami and Tennessee before returning to Alabama this time.
Why is Kevin Steele returning?
Steele got his start as a defensive coordinator with Alabama and spent four previous seasons working with Nick Saban. His son, Gordon, has also worked at Alabama as an offensive line coach. The Alabama connections run deep with Steele, and his laundry list of experience most likely played an essential role in his return to the Crimson Tide.
