Report: Ex-Houston HC Major Applewhite Joins Alabama Coaching Staff as Analyst

The Alabama Crimson Tide are reportedly adding a former head coach to their staff.

On Tuesday, Matt Zenitz of AL.com reported the SEC powerhouse hired Major Applewhite as an analyst. Zenitz noted Applewhite was Alabama's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under head coach Nick Saban in 2007 before leaving for Texas.

The new hire was most recently the head coach for the Houston Cougars, but the American Athletic Conference team fired him following the 2018 season, his second as head coach.

Applewhite led the Cougars to a 7-5 record in 2017 and 8-5 record in 2018, reaching a bowl game both years. He was also the interim coach for the 2016 Las Vegas Bowl and was fired with a 15-11 record.

The season he was at Alabama was Saban's first as head coach for the program, and the team was just 7-6 before quickly developing into one of the sport's elite programs and an annual national championship contender. Applewhite will surely help lead the Crimson Tide to more success in 2019, although in a much lesser role.

Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman noted analysts are not full-time staff members and do not count against the 10 full-time assistant coaches the NCAA allows teams to have for a given year. Davis pointed this out while reporting on the Texas Longhorns' decision to hire former North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Larry Fedora to such a position.

Applewhite joins an Alabama team primed for another successful season after reaching the College Football Playoff national championship game in each of the last four years.