Alabama Football: Jeremy Pruitt returns to Crimson Tide as defensive coordinator

The Alabama Crimson Tide have hired former assistant Jeremy Pruitt as the team’s defensive coordinator, replacing Kirby Smart.

Alabama has found their replacement for Kirby Smart and hired Jeremy Pruitt to be the defensive coordinator of the Crimson Tide.

Smart was named the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, replacing Mark Richt who had Pruitt as his defensive coordinator the last two seasons. Now, Pruitt returns to Tuscaloosa where he previously coached defensive backs during his last three seasons at Alabama before leaving for his first defensive coordinator job with the Florida State Seminoles.

Pruitt helped lead Florida State to the BCS National Championship in his lone year in Tallahassee before returning to the SEC and coming to Georgia.

When Smart’s name began to circulate that he would be taking the head coaching job at Georgia, the first name that came to mind to replace him was Pruitt, so Alabama got their first choice, as they always seem to do under Nick Saban’s watch.

Pruitt had a talented roster at Georgia but inherits an Alabama defensive roster that’s even more talented and stocked with former five-star recruits like Da’Shawn Hand who could be in line for a breakout year next year under Pruitt.

Alabama has arguably the best defense in the nation this year and while there will be a few losses to graduation and the NFL Draft, next year’s defense should be one of the nation’s best as well.

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I’m especially curious to see how he works with cornerbacks Tony Brown and Marlon Humphrey because the pair of former five-star corners could be future first round picks with dominant seasons next year.