Kalen DeBoer is giving expanded responsibilities to two Nick Saban assistants he retained upon taking the Alabama head coaching job.

DeBoer announced Wednesday that defensive line coach Freddie Roach will hold the title of Associate Head Coach. Running backs coach Robert Gillespie has been named Assistant Head Coach.

“After meeting both of these guys, it was very clear to me that keeping Freddie and G as part of the staff was going to be important to our success,” DeBoer said in a released statement. “These guys have great relationships with our players, are outstanding recruiters and have proven to be some of the best coaches in the country.”

Roach, an Alabama alum, enters his fifth season with the Crimson Tide. Roach got his start in coaching as a strength assistant (2008-10). He returned to UA in 2015 as director of player development. After coaching the defensive line for three seasons at Ole Miss (2017-19), Roach returned to Tuscaloosa to join Saban’s staff in 2020.

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Gillespie, 44, has been in coaching since 2005, getting his start at South Carolina under Steve Spurrier, his head coach at Florida (1998-2001). After stops at Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina, Gillespie arrived at Alabama in 2021.