Nick Saban brings back old Vol Kevin Steele

Spring football practice is not far away. I’ve been saving this until football was at least in the air.

Never have I said Tennessee caused Nick Saban to change his ways but I now believe Tennessee caused Nick Saban to change his ways and his defensive coordinator.

The legendary Alabama coach looked the other way as key assistant Pete Golding joined Lane Kiffin’s staff at Ole Miss. I do not have sworn testimony that what Jalin Hyatt and the Volunteers did to the Crimson Tide defense on the Third Saturday in October past cost Pete his job but he didn’t get a raise – and his move wasn’t even a lateral transfer.

Coaching defense at Alabama is a better opportunity than at Mississippi. There are more better players. Chances for national championships are better.

Hyatt made headlines and won the Biletnikoff Award with six receptions for 207 yards and five touchdowns against Alabama. Tennessee gained 567 yards. If Golding made adjustments in coverage, I missed them or they didn’t help.

Some part of the Vol victory appeared to make Saban very uncomfortable. He seemed stressed. Being stressed is risky at age 72.

The end of his 15-year domination could have caused it or maybe it was the orange fireworks going off above Neyland Stadium or fans storming onto Shields-Watkins Field.

Or, maybe not. Tennessee had to pay for that exuberance.

Maybe it was Hendon Hooker moving the Vols 45 yards in 13 seconds or Peyton showing off a victory cigar. Could be it was something said and heard: “So that’s why God gave us college football.”

Tennessee 52, Alabama 49, big deal, full house, total delight, most Volunteer points in the 105-game series. Relatively young fans had the audacity to take down the goalposts.

Golding caught a fair share of the blame.

Could be I’m totally wrong, maybe Saban didn’t even notice, maybe Golding moved on for some other reason. I am 100 percent sure that he is gone and has been replaced by an old Vol, Kevin Steele, 64.

If that sounds strange, it was the third time Saban has hired Steele.

Kevin Steele

And if that sounds strange, old Vol Ken Donahue worked two thirds of his football life for Paul “Bear” Bryant at Alabama.

Steele has been a traveling man – 15 coaching stops. He was Saban’s first defensive coordinator at Alabama. That was 2007.

The next year, Kirby Smart moved up and Kevin was demoted to inside linebackers. The next year he was defensive coordinator at Clemson. He performed well enough for three seasons, until West Virginia scored 70 against the Tigers in an Orange Bowl. Dabo Swinney couldn’t stand that.

Steele was associated with other famous coaches. He played and coached for John Majors at Tennessee. He was an assistant for Tom Osborne at Nebraska and Bobby Bowden at Florida State.

He also worked at New Mexico State, Oklahoma State, Tennessee again, the Carolina Panthers and Baylor (head coach, terrible record, 1-31 against Big 12 foes).

Saban hired him a second time in 2013 as Alabama director of player personnel.

He went next to LSU. At Auburn, influential boosters promoted Steele for head coach while Gus Malzahn still had the job. When Malzahn was fired, Kevin was interim head coach for a few minutes but was not retained.

Phillip Fulmer and Jeremy Pruitt brought Steele back to Tennessee as a defensive aide ($900,000 for two years). Chancellor Donde Plowman approved. Auburn, meanwhile, owed him $5 million in a buyout.

“Kevin is someone I have respected and admired for a long time, on and off the field,” Pruitt said.

“Tennessee is a special place to me personally,” Steele said. “I am truly grateful for this opportunity, and I am eager to get to work … I look forward to helping create an environment where our players are successful and truly embrace what it means to be a Volunteer.”

A few days later, Pruitt was dismissed. Steele became interim head coach of the Volunteers.

A few days later Danny White brought in Josh Heupel.

A few days after that, after a courtesy interview, Steele was unemployed. He collected another helping of going-away pay.

He is considered a very good coach. He landed at Miami. He is an excellent recruiter said to be grateful and wealthier for each opportunity. He answered Saban’s third ring.

Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@g-mail.com