Is Mel Tucker the Man Who Can Fix Alabama's Secondary?
The toughest fix for the Alabama football team this offseason won’t be under center or on the offensive line or at middle linebacker.
In fact, the toughest fix will come at the position where you think it would have the least trouble, as the Crimson Tide’s top two coaches played the position.
Alabama’s secondary gave up a Saban-era-low 3,164 passing yards in 14 games this season. Receivers got behind Crimson Tide defensive backs fairly consistently, and when they were covered, the DBs couldn’t seem to play the ball in the air, leading to several big plays.
This problem was evident from the first game of the season and continued all the way through Alabama’s Sugar Bowl loss to Ohio State.
It was a curious weakness, as Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart—the two coaches who work with the unit during practice—are both considered defensive masterminds and both played defensive back in college, with Smart earning All-SEC honors at Georgia.
It looks like Alabama, though, will be making a change in that department.
No, Saban and Smart aren’t going anywhere. But as part of its defensive coaching staff turnover, it appears Smart will be moving back to coach the inside linebackers, while a new secondary coach is brought in.
Sports Illustrated’s Thayer Evans broke the news Wednesday afternoon that former Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker would be joining Saban’s staff as its secondary coach:
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport quickly confirmed the hire.
(It’s also worth noting that Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman, who was the third to confirm the news, appears to have deleted his original tweet. Still, there are two reports out from solid sources. Alabama has not yet confirmed or denied the hire.)
So is Tucker the man to fix these secondary issues? The jury is still out there, though Tucker is a coach familiar with Saban who has had success at the college level.
Tucker comes from a two-year stint as defensive coordinator for the Bears, where he oversaw a rough two years. Chicago’s defense ranked No. 30 in the NFL for two straight years. Previously, he was a defensive coordinator with the Jaguars and Browns, two teams that have certainly had their fair share of struggles in the last 10 years.
But before Alabama fans start grabbing their pitchforks or burning their team gear, consider his track record in college and his familiarity with Saban that could make this hire work.
Tucker and Saban’s relationship goes back to 1990, when Saban recruited Tucker while he was head coach at Toledo, as reported by Vito Stellino of Jacksonville.com. Tucker would go on to sign with Wisconsin, but he joined Saban as a graduate assistant for two years at Michigan State and later as defensive backs coach at LSU in 2000.
After a year at LSU, Tucker spent four years at Ohio State, coaching defensive backs like Dustin Fox, Donnie Nickey and Chris Gamble to the NFL.
So he has had success at the college level when he was strictly a position coach. Perhaps, in a way, this could be a little bit like Lane Kiffin’s situation—a coach thrown in over his head in the NFL who can come back to a very solid organization under Saban in a very specific role.
At the very least there is a motivation to succeed from the players. Maurice Smith, a candidate to play Star or strong safety next season, posted this on Instagram a few days ago:
If Tucker is indeed the hire, he will inherit a talented group hungry for success, but one that also has its work cut out for it.
It is replacing three regular starters in Landon Collins, Nick Perry and Jarrick Williams. Can Tucker turn Geno Smith into a starting free safety? Can he mentor rising sophomore Hootie Jones into a starter?
Tucker certainly would have his work cut out for him.
Marc Torrence is the Alabama lead writer for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Follow on Twitter @marctorrence.
