Paul Finebaum makes case against Kevin Steele doubters
Kevin Steele was hired as the new defensive coordinator at Alabama. However, there are doubters of the move.
ESPN’s Paul Finebaum made a case against those doubters when he joined McElroy and Cubelic. Finebaum made a point where Steele could be a match made in heaven for head coach Nick Saban.
Steele replaced the outgoing Pete Golding, who joined Ole Miss in the same position.
“He’s at a point in his life where he does have a lot on his resume unlike some,” Finebaum said. “And I think to bring something up from 15 years ago or whatever it was, is absurd. I mean, Kevin Steele’s had two or three bad games in his life. One cost him a head coaching job, the other one cost him the job at Clemson. But I would argue with anyone who doesn’t think he’s a very good coach.
“Should Auburn have hired Kevin Steele three years ago instead of Bryan Harsin? I think the answer speaks for itself. They would be in a much stronger position today, but we’re not talking about him in anything other than working at Alabama, where he understands the entire concept.”
Steele is in a good situation, considering he gets to work with Saban. But for Steele, he is not out to prove anything.
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He likely just wants to win and Saban gives him the best shot to improve his craft and go after a national title.
“I think, is at a point in his career where he’s not trying to prove anything,” Finebaum said. “He will work I think very efficiently with Nick Saban. I think that’s the most important thing to do. And he’s able to challenge Saban where I don’t think Pete Golding really could. Pete Golding was someone who Saban was grooming as somewhat of a protégé on the defensive side of the ball. Kevin Steele, I have a feeling, at the end of the Tennessee game would have probably gone back to saving on the headset or on the sideline and go ‘What are you thinking here?’
“So I mean, I liked that aspect of it and critics are listen, you can find fault if you want with both coordinator hires, but I think you could find me the least amount of it with Kevin Steele.”