Former Auburn defensive lineman Gary Walker joins Alabama staff as grad assistant

The Alabama Crimson Tide football team has added former Auburn defensive lineman Gary Walker as a graduate assistant, according to the Alabama Football Media Guide. Walker follows Kevin Steele from the Miami Hurricanes, where Walker was a quality control coach for the Hurricanes. Walker played for Steele at Auburn, then was a grad assistant for the Tigers after graduating.

Meanwhile, his father had a prolific career in the NFL and at Auburn, the original Gary Walker played 11 years in the National Football League — suiting up for the Texans, Houston Oilers, the Jaguars, and then another stint with the Texans. He earned All-Pro honors in 2002 and was named to the Pro Bowl twice (2001, 2002). As a rookie, he landed on the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 1995. For his entire NFL career, Walker racked up 433 tackles and 46.5 sacks in 155 games.

Alabama also promoted Travaris Robinson to secondary coach

Alabama also made another change to their coaching staff over the weekend, putting more duties on the plate of former cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson. He’ll now be coaching the entire Crimson Tide secondary. He was promoted to secondary coach. The Tide recently lost former safeties coach Charles Kelly to the Colorado Buffaloes.

Robinson has likely been coaching the entire Alabama secondary all offseason in Kelly’s absence, so the role isn’t new.

Last season was actually the first time in a long time that Robinson has specifically coached just one position group, dating back to when he was the cornerbacks coach at Southern Miss in 2009. Between then and last season he’s coached the entire defensive back unit at five different programs, three of which were SEC schools and includes a five year stint with South Carolina where he also served as the Gamecocks defensive coordinator.

Alabama returns starters like Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold and newcomers like Caleb Downs and Jaylen Key. The Crimson Tide have a lot of ingredients to work with in their secondary. And it will definitely be interesting so see what Robinson can cook up now that he will be coaching the entire unit.

It should be yet another exciting season of college football in Tuscaloosa under Nick Saban.

On3’s Kaiden Smith also contributed to this article.