![Nick Saban Hires New Defensive Assistant From Sun Belt](http://townsquare.media/site/531/files/2023/01/attachment-Austin-Armstrong.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Nick Saban Hires New Defensive Assistant From Sun Belt
The Alabama Crimson Tide football program is in a period of transition entering the 2023 offseason. Alabama failed to qualify for the College Football Playoff for the second time in school history and many expect changes to be on the horizon for the Crimson Tide.
The Tide has already lost former safeties coach Charles Kelley to the University of Colorado as defensive coordinator and defensive coordinator Pete Golding to Ole Miss in the same position.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban didn't waste any time in making a selection. According to Pete Thamel ESPN, the Tide is set to hire former Southern Miss defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong to an on-field coaching role.
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Armstrong has extensive college coaching experience, working for UL Lafayette and Georgia as well as Southern Miss. He will not be taking over the defensive coordinator role in Tuscaloosa, but instead he will be overseeing the inside linebackers for Alabama's defense.
While he hasn't worked directly for Saban in the past, he is familiar with The Process after working for Billy Napier and Kirby Smart at previous positions.
Armstrong became the youngest defensive coordinator in the nation two years. He orchestrated a defense that finished in the Top 10 in first downs allowed, fumbles recovered, red zone defense and defensive touchdowns in 2021.
The Tide still has to find a new defensive coordinator, but for now Saban and company have found one of its new on-field coaches.
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