Why Kalen DeBoer kept Freddie Roach, Robert Gillespie on Alabama football coaching staff
MOBILE — When Kalen DeBoer took over Alabama football, he decided to bring much of his Washington coaching staff with him. That has included the likes of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and offensive line coach Scott Huff, among others, but meant many of the coaches under retiring coach Nick Saban would not be retained.
The two exceptions were former Alabama linebacker Freddie Roach, who will be an assistant head coach/defensive line, and Robert Gillespie, who was retained as running backs coach.
"You listen to what the people around the program have to say, in regards to their relationships with the players, how strong their position groups were, who they were as people, as well as what their impact has been in recruiting," DeBoer said Wednesday at the Reese's Senior Bowl.
DeBoer said Roach and Gillespie were critical in helping to sell DeBoer and his incoming staff to current Alabama players who, to this point, have decided not to transfer. UA players, under NCAA rules, have one more week in a 30-day window to transfer due to the retirement of former coach Nick Saban.
"Man, these guys have been amazing. They helped us keep the team together through some tough times, even before I was hired. I think they had a huge impact on that. Then once I got here, just locking arms with them and trusting them, I asked them to be all in on me, and I was all in on them, and they've been that way as well," DeBoer said. "It allowed us to hit the ground running here these last two weeks on the recruiting trail. I can see very clearly that we made some very good decisions on keeping them here with us at Alabama."
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Reach Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @chasegoodbread.
Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men's basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football coaching staff: Why Kalen DeBoer kept Roach, Gillespie
