ESPN was informed by sources that veteran defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, who recently concluded his third season at Alabama under Nick Saban, intends to retire from coaching.
Steele, who will age 66 in March, recently finished his 40th season as a coach, 13 of which were spent in the SEC. As Auburn’s defensive coordinator, Steele was a finalist for the 2017 Broyles Award, which goes to the best assistant in college football.
This season, Alabama tied for 16th place nationally and was second in the SEC in scoring defense (allowing 19 points per game).
Before returning to Alabama to serve as the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator in 2023, Steele served as the defensive coordinator for Miami in 2022. For twelve of his fifteen years as a coach, Steele has served as a defensive coordinator at five separate universities: Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, LSU, and Miami.
Steele, a former Tennessee player, has worked as a coach for some of the top athletes in the world. Steele has also worked with Bobby Bowden, Tom Osborne, Dabo Swinney, and Johnny Majors in addition to Saban. In addition, Steele worked as an NFL linebackers coach for the Carolina Panthers from 1995 to 1998. From 1999 to 2002, he led Baylor as head coach until his dismissal following a 9-36 record in four seasons.
There are currently three vacancies on Saban’s coaching staff. Outside linebackers and special teams coach Coleman Hutzler left to take a position as Mississippi State’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Holmon Wiggins, a receivers coach, left to take a position as co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach at Texas A&M.
Leave a Reply