Alabama football fans who are fed up with the reign of defensive coordinator Pete Golding can point to these options to improve the Crimson Tide.
For most teams, Alabama’s 2022 season would be a strong showing. For the Crimson Tide, it was a disaster.
Alabama doesn’t not play in the SEC title game. In Tuscaloosa, two losses with no conference title and no College Football Playoff bid is a failure.
Fans want an overhaul in response, whether replacing offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien or nixing defensive coordinator Pete Golding… or both.
Here are some names Nick Saban could turn to if he moved on from Golding:
3 Pete Golding replacements Alabama needs to hire for an elite defense
Jim Leonhard
The biggest name on the market when it comes to available defensive coordinators has to be former Wisconsin DC Jim Leonhard.
Leonhard was named the interim head coach after Paul Chryst was fired and was expected to vie for the permanent job before Luke Fickell got the gig.
The former Badgers walkon and 10-year NFL veteran had been coaching at Wisconsin since 2016. He quickly rose from DBs coach to defensive coordinator in 2017 and he’s done an excellent job with the defense since.
Wisconsin’s defense ranked first in yards allowed in 2021. Three of the four years before that, they ranked in the Top 5. Alabama hasn’t ranked in the Top 5 since Golding was hired.