Former Wisconsin DC Jim Leonhard name of interest for Alabama DC
His name coming up as possible hire.
January 14th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
Jim Leonhard will get the Bama bump. Guy is already coveted, but two years as Bama's DC coaching that talent.... Hell, Saban is 71. Leonhard could be the coach-in-waiting like he was at Wisconsin....
January 14th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
The amount of talent Alabama has, with him coaching them? Lights out!
January 14th, 2023 at 2:22 PM ^
I don't see Alabama hiring a guy who was passed over by Wisconsin.
January 14th, 2023 at 2:44 PM ^
Passed over for the HC. Fickell offered him to stay as DC and he passed
January 14th, 2023 at 4:00 PM ^
For what reason was he passed over? Wisconsin isn't known for keeping their head coaches (or maybe keeping their head coaches happy.) Maybe he wanted some specific changes and Wisconsin didn't respond well.
January 15th, 2023 at 10:02 AM ^
They could get Luke fickell instead. Last years national coach of the year and a proven HC
January 14th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
Deion Sanders will be the next coach at Bama, when Saban retires.
January 14th, 2023 at 12:31 PM ^
Don't think so. Deion is 55 and pretty unaccomplished for a coach of that age (not necessarily his fault, he was late to coaching)
January 14th, 2023 at 12:31 PM ^
Lol, not possible. With his whole narcissistic "COACH PRIME" bullshit persona, that won't work in Tuscaloosa.
January 14th, 2023 at 1:03 PM ^
He does the same commercials as Saban. Bama fans seem pretty accepting of coach branding (Bear's gingham hat, Saban's general smarminess) as long as they win.
That said, I think Deion's final stop has to be Tallahassee.
January 14th, 2023 at 3:28 PM ^
I had always thought it was houndstooth, and after looking into it, it appears he wore both.
January 14th, 2023 at 12:32 PM ^
"Deion Sanders will be the next coach at Bama, when Saban retires."
Wouldn't that be a media circus only the SEC could create....
I have nothing against Prime, but, as an old fuddy-dud, when the drama rises above the game on the field I like things slightly less.
January 14th, 2023 at 3:46 PM ^
I have nothing against Prime...BUT...
Yeah, you def have something against coach prime..
Did you have something against 'The Fab 5' too? Maybe you were not quite an old 'fuddy;dud' then, but a LOT of grey haired 'Fuddy Duds' hated them because you know...the sanctity of the game and all that..
January 14th, 2023 at 4:05 PM ^
Reading way too much into it and bad comparison. No issue with players being the face of the Team, and with NIL good for them. However, COACH PRIME is a coach, and should be emphasizing The Team, The Team, etc., not himself. As quirky as JH is, he puts the coaches, team and players in the spotlight, NOT himself. Deion is the opposite, goto the University of Colorado apparel store, so much Coach Prime stuff.
There is no "I" in Team, but there definitely is in Deion / COACH PRIME!!!
January 14th, 2023 at 12:33 PM ^
I pity the fool who follows Saban.
January 14th, 2023 at 12:33 PM ^
Deion will be Juwan 2.0
January 14th, 2023 at 1:08 PM ^
If Deion is any bit more successful this year and next, he's gone to FSU.
January 14th, 2023 at 1:42 PM ^
Completely agree Matt. I think he has his eyes on FSU. He puts together two good seasons at CU I think he will bolt
January 14th, 2023 at 2:38 PM ^
Why are we so sure he wouldn’t move to the NFL next, when his kid does?
January 14th, 2023 at 4:09 PM ^
I think he wants to be that "father" figure and teacher toward young men. Big in the community, and I think that he knows he has the ability to have a larger impact at the college level. You can't really do that in the NFL. If he wanted to go with his kid to the NFL, no NFL team would hire someone out of Colorado unless they make the playoffs and dominate every game. He's what, 55? If he is successful at Colorado, bigger names will come calling. FSU is just the logistical one because of his history and ties to Florida(he's from where I'm at, Fort Myers).
Miami, Auburn, and Florida are others I could see going after Deion if he is successful for a few years. Miami I just do NOT see them being anything next year, will probably fire Gattis, and will not do anything the year following. Auburn seems to be rotating coaches since Malzahn left. Florida will be doing the same as Auburn and hasn't been anything since Tebow.
January 14th, 2023 at 1:33 PM ^
My money is still on Dabo (former bama WR) if he has a few more good but not great years without Venables and an elite QB. I think he’s maxed out Clemson and would jump
January 14th, 2023 at 2:14 PM ^
He wasn't just a WR. He was a walk on that clawed his way up the depth chart, starting his senior year. Won a national championship with Alabama in which he caught the game winning TD, if I remember correctly. He made the trip to Alabama for the reunion in the middle of the season when Clemson had a game that week he still found the time to stop by. No doubt in my mind he'd take the Alabama job whenever Saban retires.
January 14th, 2023 at 12:32 PM ^
Harbaugh leaves, we should hire him.
January 14th, 2023 at 12:41 PM ^
Only with a cataclysmic buyout specific to UW.
January 14th, 2023 at 12:53 PM ^
I wouldn’t be against it considering who we think is available.
January 14th, 2023 at 1:10 PM ^
Defensive coordinators don't always work out well as head coaches.
January 14th, 2023 at 1:26 PM ^
Well...it sure worked out in Saban's case.
January 14th, 2023 at 3:57 PM ^
Saban's a better example. My first thought was Bill McCartney from Michigan DC to Colorado HC.
Barry Alvarez did a nice job at ND as DC and the Wisconsin HC.
And we all know every OC has made the transition flawlessly.
January 14th, 2023 at 1:56 PM ^
Case in Point: Jeremy Pruitt. The splash hire in Tennessee in 2018 following a National Championship at Bama running the best D in the country.
Despite excellent recruiting the guy lead the Vols to a 16-19 record.
Some guys are just career coordinators.
January 14th, 2023 at 2:16 PM ^
I think most people don't know how hard it is to be a head coach. You have to watch over everything. Sounds like it could be 24 hour a day pain.
January 14th, 2023 at 2:20 PM ^
That wasn't a splash hire it was a desperation hire after the fan base revolted at the news of Schiano. That may be wildest coaching search story of all time.
I think there was a reason Pruitt was never high on anyones HC list even though he was a highly successful P5 DC for many years.
January 14th, 2023 at 12:32 PM ^
Give this man a HC job...
January 14th, 2023 at 12:53 PM ^
If Jimmy goes, he should be near the top
January 14th, 2023 at 4:13 PM ^
DC at Alabama could make more money than many of the HC jobs Coordinators tend to get. You also have to know Saban is close to retiring, and probably only has a few years left.
January 14th, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
Leonhard would be a very good hire for Alabama. Hoping the Browns bring him in for an interview!
January 14th, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
Rich get richer. But he's still looking up at Georgia. Wonder if Leonhard can solve them
January 14th, 2023 at 12:56 PM ^
Wasn’t Pruitt the DC before he flamed out at Tenn?
January 14th, 2023 at 1:04 PM ^
Would be a good DC at Alabama, and would seemingly be preferable to Pruitt (who has a lot of NCAA investigation baggage around him) and I have my doubts Schumann would bolt from Georgia.
January 14th, 2023 at 1:27 PM ^
Doesn't seem like NCAA investigation baggage would deter Alabama. Maybe the opposite.
January 14th, 2023 at 2:51 PM ^
If he gets hit with a show cause penalty then that's an annoying hurdle for any school to overcome, especially when you're Alabama and you can get a Pruitt -level DC without that annoyance.
January 14th, 2023 at 1:23 PM ^
Good move for JL if he can do it.
UW underperformed when he took over mid-season. If they had won out, he would have had the UW job.
January 14th, 2023 at 1:29 PM ^
I'd like to see what Leonhard could do being a DC for a defense that's not full of players and assistant coaches who all have been running the same system forever. He's obviously skilled and handled the HC duties really well, but even so, that's miles of difference from going to a new place and teaching a new system or having to adapt to what Saban wants.
January 14th, 2023 at 2:02 PM ^
Walter K Friedman is saying Charlie Strong is talking with Nick Saban. When he posts stuff it usually means something.
January 14th, 2023 at 2:29 PM ^
Question for the board and anyone that follows Wisconsin closely.
Does it make Wisconsin look bad that Leonhard is a candidate for a DC Alabama position? Considering that they just went with Fickell over Leonhard. Did they make a mistake? What are people saying?
January 14th, 2023 at 2:46 PM ^
I mean, it’s not like Wisconsin played well when Leonhard was the interim head coach. Meanwhile, Cincinnati had been pretty darn good with Fickell as coach. Not sure why anyone would all of a sudden change their opinion about the situation just because Leonhard might become the defensive coordinator at another team.
January 14th, 2023 at 3:56 PM ^
It is Alabama though. If he gets it
Pretty significant.
January 14th, 2023 at 6:01 PM ^
I guess I just don’t see why Alabama hiring him as a coordinator would make Wisconsin fans regret going with Fickell. Maybe make them regret not being able to retain him as DC, but that’s it.
January 14th, 2023 at 3:03 PM ^
I have the great misfortune of having to follow their program closely due to an intense and borderline psychotic rivalry with my best friend.
They are exponentially thrilled about Fickell (sadly as they should be) and don’t even discuss Leonhard anymore.