Alabama OL coach Doug Marrone reportedly heading back to the NFL
Doug Marrone is reportedly heading back to the NFL. On Wednesday, Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network tweeted that the now-former Alabama offensive line coach would join the New Orleans Saints in an undetermined role on the staff.
This news hardly comes as a surprise after it was revealed earlier this month that the Crimson Tide would hire Eric Wolford to take over coaching duties for the offensive line. He had held the same role for the Kentucky Wildcats during the 2021 season after coming over from South Carolina (2017-20).
Marrone’s departure means he was only on Alabama’s staff for one season.
The offensive line finished 2021 allowing 41.0 sacks, which ranked No. 120 in the nation out of 130 teams. That is far and away the most sacks the Crimson Tide have allowed during the Nick Saban era. The next two highest totals were the 32.0 sacks allowed in 2010 (No. 90 nationally) and the 27.0 allowed in 2017 (T-No. 70).
How much of that falls on Marrone? It’s hard to say.
What we do know is that Wolford is a well-respected coach who has done some good things with the offensive lines that he’s been given. Despite the Wildcats losing two All-SEC linemen in Landon Young and Drake Jackson following 2020, Wolford had the group competitive.
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Alabama will lose both starting offensive tackles in Evan Neal and Chris Owens, but there are five different linemen returning who have started at least one game. Plus, former five-star JC Latham, who played 142 snaps, will be back for a second season.
In other words, the unit should be much-improved in 2022.
Marrone served as the offensive coordinator for New Orleans from 2006-08, which means that it’ll be a reunion of sorts if he’s brought back. Longtime Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was just recently named the new head coach after Sean Payton unexpectedly retired last month.
