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Kalen DeBoer is reportedly making a major change to his Alabama coaching staff after Year 1. Co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Colin Hitschler is said to be axed with a season remaining on his contract.
ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel reported the news, per sources, on Friday morning.
Sources: Alabama co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Colin Hitschler has been informed he will not return to the Crimson Tide next year. He has a year remaining on his initial two-year contract.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 3, 2025
Hitschler and co-defensive coordinator Maurice Linguist shared the coaching duties for the defensive backfield for the 2024 season. He joined the staff after previously serving on Luke Fickell’s Wisconsin staff.
Hitschler was with Fickell at Cincinnati from 2018-2021. Hitschler was on staff at South Alabama from 2014-17. Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack was South Alabama’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2016 and ’17. Wommack would return to South Alabama as head coach for 3 seasons (2021-23) before leaving to be the Crimson Tide DC.
Alabama finished DeBoer’s opening season 9-4 capped by a loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. It snapped a streak of 16 consecutive 10-win seasons, an FBS record.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
