Alabama to hire Wisconsin's Colin Hitschler as assistant coach

Kalen DeBoer’s staff at Alabama continues to grow. On Thursday, On3’s Pete Nakos reported Alabama is expected to hire Wisconsin safeties coach/co-defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler as an assistant coach.

Hitschler only spent one season at Wisconsin. While there, he guided the Badgers to only allow 344 yards per game, ranking No. 38 in the country. Wisconsin’s pass defense gave up the 39th-least yards in the nation.

Before accepting a position at Wisconsin, Hitschler also coached the safeties unit under Luke Fickell in Cincinnati, holding the role for three seasons. In 2022, On3 named Hitschler one of the “rising-star assistants you need to know.”

In the 2022 campaign, Cincinnati boasted the nation’s best pass defense, won its second-straight American Athletic Conference Championship and advanced to the program’s first ever appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Hitschler has a knack for developing talent. While at UC, Hitschler mentored 2020 All-AAC First Team selection James Wiggins and 2021 All-AAC First Team selection Bryan Cook.

This isn’t Hitschler’s first rodeo in the state of Alabama. Before joining Cincinnati’s staff in 2018, he spent four seasons at the University of South Alabama. He coached the safeties in 2017, served as the director of football operations from 2015-16 and was a defensive graduate assistant in 2014.

Hitschler has found success at every step of his career. At South Alabama, he mentored USA safety Jeremy Reaves, who was recognized as the 2017 Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-league honoree.

Additionally, in 2017, South Alabama finished in the Top 5 in the Sun Belt Conference in pass defense, pass efficiency defense, tackles for loss and third-down conversion percentage against. Now, Hitschler hopes to bring similar success to the biggest stage possible.

Alabama’s other staff additions

He is only the latest addition to DeBoer’s budding staff. On Jan. 15, Alabama hired South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack to be the program’s next defensive coordinator. Kevin Steele previously held the role but announced his retirement shortly after the Rose Bowl loss to Michigan.

Only 24 hours prior, Alabama hired Ryan Grubb to be its next offensive coordinator. Grubb served as OC under DeBoer at Washington for the two seasons they were there. DeBoer also brought on Buffalo head coach Maurice Linguist as the team’s co-defensive coordinator and defensive back coach.

With only a short time passed since DeBoer coached in the national championship, he is moving at breakneck speed. Alabama fans can expect more additions as the offseason progresses.