Alabama expected to hire Liberty ILB coach Robert Bala to same role
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama has found its next inside linebackers coach. On Saturday morning, Pete Thamel of ESPN broke the news that the Crimson Tide were zeroing in on Liberty inside linebackers coach Robert Bala for the same role.
That hire is expected to become official soon.
Hopefully, this one sticks around awhile. Former Southern Miss defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong was originally hired to replace the departed Pete Golding as Alabama’s inside linebackers coach, but he left less than two weeks after the hiring to take the defensive coordinator position under Billy Napier at Florida.
Top 10
- 1
A Twisted Mess
Big 12 Championship scenarios
- 2Trending
Saban chirped
Big 12 comes after GOAT
- 3Hot
Underranked SEC
Lane Kiffin protests CFP rankings
- 4
UConn star hospitalized
Alex Karaban hospitalized at Maui Invitational
- 5
DJ Lagway
Fan flashes Florida QB to Pope
Bala wasn’t Liberty’s inside linebackers coach long either. He spent the 2022 season as a defensive analyst with the Flames after four seasons at Southern Utah. From 2018-19, he was the cornerbacks coach, but then in 2020, he was elevated to defensive coordinator while also coaching the safeties. In 2021, he continued his role as the defensive play-caller, but moved over to the inside linebackers.
Here’s Bala’s entire coaching history:
- 2023 – Liberty (LB)
- 2022 – Liberty (Defensive Analyst)
- 2021 – Southern Utah (DC/LB)
- 2020 – Southern Utah (DC/S)
- 2019 – Southern Utah (Co-ST/CB)
- 2018 – Southern Utah (CB)
- 2017-18 – Ottawa University Arizona (ST/S)
- 2016 – Palomar College (Co-DC/CB)
- 2015 – Palomar College (CB)
- 2014 – Oakland Raiders (LB/ST Intern)
- 2011-14 – Palomar College (LB)
- 2009-10 – Snow College (LB)
Stay tuned as BamaInsider dives more into the hire. In the meantime, head on over to the Talk of Champions message board to join in on the coaching conversation.
Not a member? Join BamaInsider!
Have you subscribed to BamaInsider.com? You can sign up now for $29.99, which gets you premium access until Aug. 31, 2023! Or, you can also get monthly access for just $9.99 per month. Get access to premium articles covering the University of Alabama athletics, recruiting content and also join thousands of Crimson Tide fans on the Talk of Champions message board! CLICK HERE!
