[Bamabeachlivin]

Article published Jan 5, 2007
Tide may build its own 'Steele Curtain’

TUSCALOOSA | Nick Saban, the University of Alabama’s new football coach, said Thursday morning that one of his first priorities would be assembling a coaching staff, and that process has already started.
Although there was no official release from UA regarding coaching changes, the new Crimson Tide staff will include defensive coordinator Kevin Steele and former UA assistant Lance Thompson.
Steele will join Alabama after four seasons at Florida State, where he was the executive head coach and linebackers coach under Bobby Bowden. Steele, who was also the head coach at Baylor University from 1999 through 2002, flew to Tuscaloosa from Tallahassee on Thursday afternoon to assume his new duties.
Bowden said he was “surprised" at Steele’s departure in an interview with The Tallahassee (Fla.) Democrat.
“It was a surprise and yet I can understand why with his Mom and Dad being right close in Tuscaloosa," Bowden said. “I can understand him wanting to be close to family and having a chance like that.
“He’s done an excellent job at Florida State. He’s worked great with [defensive coordinator] Mickey Andrews and our defensive staff. He’s done an excellent job in recruiting and has been a great asset to our program. I wish nothing but the best for him and his family."
Steele made $193,174 in base salary at FSU. He also received $26,913 for speeches and PR as well as additional bonuses through the athletic department development fund, which is funded by Seminole Boosters. Terms of his employment at Alabama, including his salary, have not been released.
Thompson, who was in attendance at Saban's initial UA press conference on Thursday, was a member of Mike DuBose's Alabama staff, coaching the defensive line in 1999 - when the Crimson Tide won the SEC championship - and 2000. After DuBose and his staff were dismissed following the 2000 season, Thompson went to work for Saban at LSU. He has spent the last two seasons at the University of Central Florida,
Saban did not specify what position Thompson would fill on his staff. There has been speculation that Thompson could fill the post of Director of Football Operations if he is not involved in on-the-field coaching.
Speculation also continued to swirl about the possibility of LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher joining Saban's staff. Fisher is also reportedly considering the offensive coordinator position at Florida State.
LSU offensive line coach Stacy Searels, a former Auburn player, may also be considering a spot on Saban's staff. Attempts to reach Searels - who is reportedly also being considering for a vacancy on Mark Richt's Georgia staff - were unsuccessful.
Todd Stroud, the former University of West Alabama head coach who spent the 2006 season at North Carolina State, is considered a possible defensive line coach candidate.
Saban declined to discuss specific candidates on Thursday.
"I want to hire the best staff we possibly can," he said. "We've already started to hire some people. We've got some other people coming in.
"I don't think that hiring a staff is something you put a timetable on. When you're trying to get the best people, there's a process and procedure you go through. We're not going to take shortcuts to hire somebody because once you get married to them, they're here. I'd rather get the best people, do the due diligence we have to do to get the best people (and) end up with having the best quality of staff - recruiting staff, coaching staff, teaching staff - that we can possibly have."
Saban also indicated that he would possibly consider at least some of the members of former coach Mike Shula's 2006 Crimson Tide staff.
"We'll interview the coaching staff that's here (to) see if there's anybody that would contribute to the kind of staff we want to have," Saban said.
(Reach Cecil Hurt at cecil.hurt@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0225.

Coach Saban looks to be moving right along with getting his staff in place.

[Stoney]

Jimbo Fisher is next on Saban's list.