ESPN insider discusses Alabama defensive coordinator job, Todd Grantham as candidate

Alabama‘s search for coordinators on both sides of the ball is ongoing, but could Nick Saban hire a defensive coordinator from his in-house network of analysts?

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg discussed that potential on The Paul Finebaum Show on Tuesday.

“It’s an interesting position, because both are open right now,” Rittenberg said. “I think Nick Saban on that side of the ball really historically has gone with coaches who run systems that he’s familiar with or that know what he likes and wants to do with that defense.

“Todd Grantham is in the building as an analyst. Obviously tremendous SEC experience at multiple schools. Would they go with someone like him? If they don’t, I think it will be someone who has connections to Saban, his system, and will walk in the door knowing what the head coach wants.”

Grantham’s most recent coordinator experience came at Florida, where he served on Dan Mullen’s staff for four years.

His final two seasons produced historically bad numbers by Florida standards. So he might be a tough one to sell to the fanbase, a point Rittenberg noted.

“I think it would be a hard sell initially for Alabama, even for Nick Saban, who doesn’t need to worry too much about how his hires go over given his long-term history of success,” Rittenberg said. “But you have a guy who was at Florida and it ultimately didn’t work out. He was at Georgia for many years, and he was on staffs that did very well but didn’t reach the pinnacle like Georgia has the last couple of years. Very experienced, knows the SEC, has worked at so many different schools. Mississippi State, has worked outside of the SEC at Power 5 programs like Louisville. But I think it would be a hard sell for Nick Saban even though he has been in the building, he knows the players, he knows Saban and he knows what Saban wants.”

Still, Rittenberg kept alluding to the idea that Saban wants familiarity in an Alabama defensive coordinator hire. Grantham would certainly provide that.

“As you know, that’s a very difficult job, one of the most difficult jobs in college football, but you have to know what you’re getting into when you walk in,” Rittenberg said. “So I think it will be somebody that has familiarity with Saban and his scheme.

“I also think Alabama’s defensive coordinator, for the most part, because of who your head coach is and because of the who the players you have are is a job that you’re going to have some level of success.”