Nick Saban is reportedly close to filling the final spot on his staff.
BamaOnline and AL.com are reporting that Saban will hire Tennessee running backs coach Jay Graham as the new Alabama tight ends coach and special teams coordinator.
Graham played running back at Tennessee from 1993-96 and in the NFL from 1997-2002 with the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. In 2003, he played for the Montreal Alouettes, his final season of pro football.
Graham first got into coaching in 2005, starting as a grad assistant at Tennessee. After stops at Chattanooga, UT Martin and Miami (Ohio), he became South Carolina’s running backs coach in 2009.
Graham has remained in the Power 5 ranks since his arrival at South Carolina, working for former Saban assistants Derek Dooley (Tennessee, 2012), Jimbo Fisher (Florida State 2013-17; Texas A&M 2018-19) and Jeremy Pruitt (Tennessee, 2020).
With that experience, it shouldn’t be too difficult for Graham to adjust to working for Saban himself.
Jeff Banks held the tight ends and special teams coaching positions for the past three seasons. The former Texas A&M assistant is returning to the Lone Star State as part of Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns staff. Graham has big shoes to fill as Banks is currently ranked the No. 5 recruiter in the nation for the 2021 cycle.
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
