Nick Saban comments on the hire of Alabama cornerbacks coach Jay Valai
After the latest round of offseason coaching shuffling in Tuscaloosa, Nick Saban once again has a completed coaching staff.
Saban is no stranger to rebuilding his assistant coaching staff as the Crimson Tide pretty much undergo massive coaching turnover after each national championship captured by the program.
That’s the way it goes when others attempt to copy the success of Saban’s program but that tends to play in Alabama’s favor when it comes to attracting new coaches to join the dynasty in Tuscaloosa.
Following assistant coach Karl Scott’s departure for the NFL, Saban turned around and hired Jay Valai, who was recently named an assistant defensive backs coach with the Philadelphia Eagles. Valai spent last season coaching cornerbacks for Texas.
“We are pleased and happy to be able to add Jay Valai to our staff to coach cornerbacks,” Saban said in a released statement. “Jay is an excellent young coach who possesses outstanding knowledge and enthusiasm for the game. He is a really good teacher and an outstanding recruiter who works tirelessly at his craft. We are excited to welcome Jay and his family to Tuscaloosa.”
Alabama’s new cornerbacks coach does come to Tuscaloosa with some knowledge of the team’s defense as Valai previously worked for Kirby Smart at Georgia.
Following his hire at Alabama, Valai offered up a statement.
“Words can’t express how excited I am to have the opportunity to coach cornerbacks in the SEC at Alabama,” Valai said. “The decision to leave the Philadelphia Eagles was one of the hardest choices I’ve ever made, but the chance to work for Coach Saban who is one of the all-time great head coaches and defensive minds is truly a special opportunity. I’m looking forward to calling Tuscaloosa home and putting in work with some of the best defensive backs in the nation.”
Alabama’s 2021 assistant coaching staff
- Bill O’Brien – Offensive coordinator *
- Pete Golding – Defensive coordinator/Inside linebackers
- Jay Graham – Special teams coordinator/Tight ends *
- Holmon Wiggins – Receivers
- Sal Sunseri – Outside linebackers
- Doug Marrone – Offensive line *
- Freddie Roach – Defensive line
- Robert Gillespie – Running backs *
- Charles Kelly – Safeties
- Jay Valai – Cornerbacks*
* heading into first year with Saban’s Alabama program
Look at that coaching staff!
Bahahahahaha what a difference a year makes!
That’s what I said when I looked at LSU’s record this season…..
LMAO…
Look at LSWho…Bahahahaha!!!
Well you can bank on the fact that BAMA won’t implode like your corndogs did with farmer fran at the helm
And yet next year some of them will leave for HC and Coordinator jobs due to the success they have working with Coach Saban! You surely have a warped sense of humor!
Fantasyland
2019- 15-0
2020- 5-5
Bahahahahahaha!
Boy you stirred those Bammers up. Guarantee you other than O’Brien they had never heard of any of those coaches before they were hired. That’s funny how they all jumped but you have to admit Lil Nicky is used to it and makes it work.
A Saban picked staff.
You are scared.
You should be.
Alabama need not be expecting to play for another title next season. Because it won’t happen!!! All these freshmen your bringing in are just that. Freshmen! And your letting too much leave!
Look what Alabama lost to the NFL draft. Then consider this. You also lost former top 2 defensive tackle Ishmael Sopsher. He was one of the top defensive tackles. Now he is gone!
Then you lost former 5 star #1 outside linebacker Ben Davis!!!
Then you lost 5 star inside linebacker and former #2 inside linebacker Ale Kaho!!!
Then you lost an experienced former 4 star outside linebacker Kevin Harris!!!
So add these losses to your group of outgoing talent. There is no way your going to convince me. That losing all of these guys including the NFL DRAFT players. Is somehow a positive!!! NO WAY!!!!!! You can tell yourselves that all you like. But it’s simply not true!!!
Sure you have lots of young future talent. Provided you can keep them out of the transfer portal. But your not going to tell me. That you Alabama fans or Saban was happy to see these upperclassmen go!!! Young talent is great. But it simply does NOT compare to experienced 5 star talent. That has already been in the strength and conditioning program and learning the system FOR YEARS!!!!!!!!
PS. Alabama just got a whole lot weaker!!!! I don’t care what anyone says. UGA has a ton of upperclassmen talent on this team. UGA should be the favorite to win the SEC!!!!
Negan
I love the 2010 team…but.. Lets be hobest here…you are going to hardly ever find four jumiors qho had guaranteed good draft statua to all come back for their senior seasons and without them rheee is mo undefeatwd national championship season.
Sorry bad typing
Sorry bad typing
Maybe Saban’s best staff EVER!!!!