Alabama Hires Veteran Line Coach Jeff Stoutland

Jeff Stoutland was known more recently for taking over as the interim head coach of the Miami Hurricanes after Randy Shannon was fired.

Stoutland has been in coaching circles for some time beginning at his alma mater, Southern Connecticut State.  He coached linebackers (1984-85) and was the offensive coordinator for five years (1988-92).

He was the offensive line coach at Cornell from 1993 to 1996.

At Syracuse he coached tight ends and offensive line from 1997 to 1999.

In 2000, he began a seven-year stint at Michigan State.  

I did a little statistical analysis of his Michigan State years and found that the Spartans employed a mixed bag of mostly journeyman runners, yet the top rushers managed a crisp 5.6 yard per carry average.

In 2000, TJ Ducket gained over 1,400 yards.

In 2004, four rushers gained over 600 yards.

Four times during that span a rusher averaged over six yards a carry.  The smallest number of carries for those rushers was 86 touches, so these are not fluky numbers.

Since that time, Stoutland has coached the offensive line at Miami.  Though Miami did not seen much success during those years, his offensive linemen earned All-ACC honors five times in 2010 alone. 

Stoutland replaces retiring coach Joe Pendry, who will retire to his farm in Tuscaloosa and remain on staff as a consultant.

Alabama's remaining recruiting target is Cyrus Kouandjio, who, up until recently, had Miami high on his list.  So the big man from Hyattsville, MD already has a relationship with the new coach.  Hopefully that will help Alabama land the nation's top rated tackle.