Is Nick Saban Cleaning House At Alabama?

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It seems obvious that finishing 12-2 and even after letting the Sugar Bowl slip away is not enough to let some coaches stick around. Three coaches and one director have, thus far, left for other opportunities, mostly inside the SEC.

They’ve either got better offers or someone/something is telling them to move on. Which leaves one question. Is Nick Saban quietly cleaning house? There hasn’t been any indication on the offensive side, mainly defense. However OC Lane Kiffin is considered a leading candidate for the same position with the San Francisco 49ers. Keep in mind that Kiffin is from California and everyone is sure he would likely take an immediate leap back to the NFL. This won’t be the first time he came to the SEC to bolt one year later. Best advice for Alabama fans: this is Lane Kiffin, don’t get your hopes up for any reason. Here’s who all has left so far:

Mark Hocke: Hocke served as a co-associate football strength and conditioning coach under Scott Cochran for six years. He was hired by Mark Richt to become Director of Strength and Conditioning at Georgia on December 21st. He worked under Cochran during their run of SEC and BCS titles. He was said to be responsible for helping former players like Mark Ingram and Julio Jones get into the NFL based on their strength conditions. I don’t imagine there was much to read into this. Hocke saw an opportunity to run his own program and Georgia opened the door for him. Hopefully he has learned well when 2015 starts.

Kevin Steele: Steele served as defensive coordinator for one year in 2007 under Nick Saban’s first year, then moved to linebacker coach the following year. After a 7-6 campaign, he moved on to Clemson for four years holding both positions. Steele then returned to Alabama in 2013 as Director of Player Personnel and last year, once again became LB coach. He was recently hired to become DC at LSU after John Chavis departed for Texas A&M. Steele’s only known meltdowns was with Greene while coaching for the Carolina Panthers and his humiliating performance against West Virginia in the Orange Bowl. There’s been no known indication as to why Steele left.

Lance Thompson: Thompson served as outside linebackers coach in his fifth year under Nick Saban. Believe it or not, this was his third stint at Alabama, and possibly his last. He was first defensive line coach from 1999-2000 under Mike DuBose. After stops at Georgia Tech, LSU and Central Florida, he returned to Tuscaloosa as LB coach under Nick Saban in 2007-08. He headed north to Tennessee as LB and DL coach from 2009-2011. He made one more stop at Alabama as LB coach for his final three years there before taking a gig to work under Will Muschamp at Auburn. There had been reports that he was told to go elsewhere. It looks as if they got fed up with Thompson under unknown circumstances.

Tyler Siskey: Siskey became Associate Director of Player Personnel in 2013 and was elevated as Head Director last season. He was mostly responsible for Alabama’s recruiting efforts. He had mostly been an assistant coach working with wide receivers and tight ends, but has at one point coached the offensive line. Siskey was a wide receivers coach at Arkansas for four years before taking a player personnel job at Ole Miss, then Alabama. His reason for taking the WR job was because he wanted to return to the field and coach again. Saban wanted him to stay, but Siskey reported that he wanted to follow his heart.

Housecleaning at Alabama? Not quite plausible enough with only Thompson being the possible bad apple from the four who left. Siskey indicated that there was zero truth that Saban was cleaning house. They are also in no hurry to fill the vacant positions, so they may have people lined up.

Will whoever fills the shoes help improve some weaknesses they have? The one main question would be will Lane Kiffin stay at Alabama? Saban says he’s still committed. How long is anyone’s guess. Saban just better hope he won’t have to fill five spots instead of four. The defense for some parts of the year had suffered enough. No need to let the offense suffer even when you won’t know for two years in a row who their starting QB is.