Alabama hires S. Alabama head coach to run defense

Field Level Media|published: Tue 16th January, 11:03 2024

South Alabama Jaguars head coach Kane Wommack celebrates after a score against the UCLA Bruins in the second half at the Rose Bowl. credits: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack resigned Tuesday morning and is expected to be hired as the new defensive coordinator at Alabama, according to multiple reports.

Wommack, 36, would rejoin new Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer, who worked with Wommack on the coaching staff at Indiana in 2019.

Wommack guided the Jaguars to bowl games in two of his three seasons at South Alabama. In 2020 at Indiana, Wommack was a finalist for the Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in college football.

"I deeply appreciate Kane's service to our program, university and city," South Alabama director of athletics Joel Erdmann said Tuesday morning in a statement. "His efforts propelled us forward and we wish him and (wife) Melissa (Wommack) the very best."

South Alabama was 15th in the nation in total defense in 2023, giving up 313.2 yards per game, and ranked in the top 27 in points allowed each of the past two seasons (21.3 points per game in 2022; 21.0 points per game in ‘23).

Travaris Robinson interviewed with DeBoer last week but was elevated to co-defensive coordinator at Georgia and opted to stay with the Bulldogs.

A handful of former Nick Saban assistant coaches are expected to stay.

DeBoer is widely expected to bring his offensive coordinator at Washington, Ryan Grubb, to Tuscaloosa in the same role.

Wommack's father, Dave, was defensive coordinator in the SEC at Mississippi from 2012-16, when Kane Wommack worked as a graduate assistant and then defensive backs coach.

—Field Level Media