Paul Finebaum has a pulse on the Alabama fan base as much as any person working in the media. So when a major news story like a coordinator change comes into the picture, the ESPN commentator offers some perspective.

Finebaum joined “McElroy and Cubelic In the morning” on WJOX in Birmingham on Monday for his regular segment where he discussed which possible candidates would satisfy the fan base. Three possibilities that have been reported are former Alabama DC and Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt, former Wisconsin DC and interim coach Jim Leonhard and Georgia co-defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann.

A large portion of the fan base was irritated with former DC Pete Golding, and he received a good chunk of the criticism for the Alabama defensive struggles in recent years.

“As crazy as this sounds, I think Jeremy Pruitt would probably calm people down,” Finebaum said. “It’s interesting how one name would complete set the folks at Tennessee up in arms, but at Alabama, Jeremy Pruitt is comfort food. Because it’s returning to an era when Alabama defense was dominant.”

Finebaum recalled that it wasn’t that long ago that Alabama was ranked No. 1, but now Kirby Smart at Georgia is going for a 3-peat. “That’s how quickly things can change,” he said.

“Whether it’s reality or not, the perception out there is that Nick Saban is fighting up stream to catch up, to keep his head above water,” Finebaum said.