On3 Roundtable: The immediate impact on Alabama defense under Kevin Steele

Kevin Steele should have an immediate impact on the Alabama defense, according to BamaOnLine’s Tim Watts.

The veteran coach fits seamlessly under Nick Saban and what the Crimson Tide want to do. The outgoing defensive coordinator, Pete Golding, is now at Ole Miss.

Watts joined J.D. PicKell on The Hard Count to detail what Steele can immediately improve. And there won’t be underachievement.

“The linebacker play (under Pete Golding) was very criticized,” Watts said. “I mean, they’ve had good linebackers. They’ve had guys that went in the draft. Some guys who probably fell who had the talent to go higher, Mack Wilson, you know, Christian Harris … Kevin Steele is known for his linebacker play. And I think at the end of the day, that’s going to be where it starts.

“It’s going to start with fundamentals. He’s an old school guy, likes to get to the ball. He likes to hit you know, we’ve seen no matter what you think of Kevin Steele, when he has talent, he’s been very successful.”

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Steele last coached Miami as the defensive coordinator and spent time recently in the SEC as Tennessee’s interim head coach in 2021 and Auburn’s defensive coordinator from 2016-20.

But this is not Steele’s first rodeo with Saban. Steele coached at Alabama in 2007 as the defensive coordinator, during Saban’s first year as head coach. After he left following the 2008 season, Steele returned to Alabama after numerous jobs in 2014 as the linebackers coach.

“He’s very familiar for Nick Saban,” Watts said. “Pete Golding was kind of like, Saban was teaching him on the job. He was learning … Kevin Steele has been everywhere. I mean, this is a guy that has seen it all. Had plenty of offers. Turned down coordinator positions, has been highly sought after as a coordinator. I think him and Nick Saban just fit together well, which is good because now the young guy on staff is going to be Tommy Rees, and you’re gonna see that you know, Saban probably works with him a little bit more.”

Steele also has experience as a head coach at Baylor from 1999-2002. The Bears were 9-36 overall and 1-31 in Big 12 games under Steele’s direction, resulting in his firing in the middle of his fourth season.

If you put it all together, this seems like a great time for Steele to “run it back” with Saban and Alabama.