Miami defensive coordinator Kevin Steele accepted Alabama’s offer to become defensive coordinator, per ESPN.
The veteran defensive coordinator will join Nick Saban’s staff in Tuscaloosa for the third time. He was Saban’s first defensive coordinator at Alabama in 2007.
The Alabama job became available after Pete Golding left to become the DC at Ole Miss. Steele spends just one season with Miami as defensive coordinator under former Saban assistant Mario Cristobal.
Miami allowed 26.8 points per game (68th nationally and tenth in the ACC). The Hurricanes allowed 40 points to five opponents: Middle Tennessee State (45), Duke (45), Florida State (45), Clemson (40), and Pittsburgh (42). In ACC play, Miami allowed 29.8 points per game, which ranked near the bottom of the conference.
Miami allowed 5.6 yards per play, ranking 83rd in the country against FBS schools in 2022. Pro Football Focus graded Miami as the No. 109 tackling team in the country last season and the Hurricanes allowed 142.9 rushing yards per game, which ranked 55th overall in the country. Miami also ranked near the bottom in college football in pass efficiency ranking 100th in 2022.
Steele’s first tenure as defensive coordinator for Saban ended after one season when Kirby Smart was promoted to that position in 2008. Steele spent that season coaching inside linebackers before leaving for Clemson. He returned to Alabama in 2013 in an off-field personnel role, then served as linebackers coach in 2014.
Steele later spent five seasons as Auburn’s defensive coordinator and served as its interim head coach after the firing of Gus Malzahn.
Miami now has to find replacements at offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, wide receivers coach, and now defensive coordinator.
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