Quite frankly, this is getting ridiculous.
Alabama coach Nick Saban’s support staff has expanded to nine “analysts.” That’s up from six in 2011, three in 2010 and none before then.
Five of the analysts work with the offense: Kevin Garner, Jules Montinar, Jeff Norrid, Kelvin Sigler and Jody Wright. Norrid is back for a third year. Wright was the offensive graduate assistant two years ago and an offensive analyst last year. Sigler is the former head coach at Blount High School near Mobile.
Three analysts will work with the defense: Dean Altobelli, Russ Callaway and Wesley Neighbors. Altobelli and Callaway also were defensive analysts last year. Callaway is the son of former UAB head coach Neil Callaway, a former Alabama lineman and linebacker. Neighbors, a walk-on defensive back at Alabama (2008-10), is the son and grandson of former Alabama stars.
John Wozniak, most recently the running backs coach and co-special teams coordinator at UAB, is Alabama’s new special teams analyst.
Adding someone to your staff and calling him an “analyst” may not violate the letter of the rules, but it sure as hell does the spirit. If all we get is crickets from the NCAA on this, expect it to become the next subject of college football’s arms race.
Get The Picture 
Not sure I understand. These “analysts” are not counted as part of the coaching staff?
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Considering nine would be the full complement of assistant coaches, no, they aren’t counted.
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Bro, they are non-enties. They don’t really exist. Kinda like guys on scholarship at Bama get phantom injuries and get a medical hardship schollie opening up a roster spot. Non-persons in Tuscaloosa.
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Admission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol
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This isn’t new. Bama’s been using this sort of thing to keep extra coaches around for years now.
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If these analysts get a salary it should be in the public record, since it is a public school. I wonder what their official job titles and responsibilities are. I bet they aren’t working for free.
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Is anything concerning the University of Alabama in the public record?
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Deeper question: Is the State of Alabama part of the American public?
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At least the writer was embarrassed enough to put quotes around analyst. Sheesh. Alabama, where too much is not enough.
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Meh.
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The move may have bad optics, but a quick look at Bama’s football staff directory(http://www.rolltide.com/staffdir/alab-staffdir.html , then scroll down) shows 25 people who potentially have coaching, game-prep, or recruiting functions. The other 2 people on the list are an admin assistant & a secretary.
Compare that to our staff (http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/061210aaa.html), we’ve got 33 people in coaching, game-prep & recruiting. If you take out Val Halanger, we’ve still got 31.
Result: I don’t know if Bama’s doing this better than we are — they have “analysts” in place of our “coordinators” and grad assts. But unless an “analyst” can do much more than our guys are allowed to do, it doesn’t look like we’re not trying.
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*32. If you remove Van Halanger, 33 – 1 = 32. Don’t forget to tip your waitress.
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There are 146 non-coaches working in Alabama’s athletic department, according to this story. How many of ’em do you figure don’t work in one form or fashion for the football program?
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Point to you. Inspired me to take a second look at UA’s athletic staff directory. The reason there are only 27 “football staffers” is that the following are *separate* divisions within the Athletic Dept: Academics, Compliance, Equipment, Event Managing, “Life Skills,” “Hospitality,” Strength & Conditioning, Training (i.e. medical & nutrition staff), and Video Services.
Definitely see all of those working primarily for the football program. In fact, one feels drawn to the conclusion — try to imagine this — that Bama structured its Athletic Department so that it could say “he works for Video Services, not on football staff” if the NCAA asks. If they maintain a couple formalities, it might even be believable.
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Nobody’s taken out Van Halenger yet? At least we don’t undersign when it comes to staff
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Me thinks there’s a day of reckoning coming for someone. If this is improper, there are enough reporters in AL to dig the dirt. NCAA and UA are not on the best of terms and a little flexing the muscle of oversight by the NCAA would fit perfectly with their new found moral/ethical posture. If its not improper, then, hell, what are WE waiting for? But then again, we can’t get an answer on Houston so I don’t know what I’m thinking.
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Reporters in the state of Alabama do not try to “dig up” anything on Alabama. It’s a matter of ridicule in the journalism community outside of that state because of just how passively they go through press conferences, treating Saban with kid gloves and not asking any tough questions, ever. Do not expect an Alabama press member to EVER release a story that puts UA in a bad light.
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Hobnail, I respectfully disagree. I live in Montgomery and the career path of more than one reporter includes bringing the stink to UA. Alabama is not impervious to bad press. Why do you think Saban controls access to the press for his coaches? Control freak, yes. Reporters know the questions to ask and a “no comment” answer is not what Saban wants on record. Sports reporters around this state know they won’t get much from Tuscaloosa, but they also know their ticket is punched the day they make the front page above the fold.
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any wonder why the NCAA rulebook is 8″ thick?
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To me the difference seems to be that they are on the field “analysts” as opposed to some GA sitting in a film room (who I’m sure we have as well). That seems an awful like a coach to me. Haven’t we been fed for years about how we can’t have a special teams “coach” without sacrificing a spot? Wasn’t there even talk that some like KButler couldn’t even stop by practice and offer help without being against the rules?
Sadly this will be a Cam N response by the NCAa. “yes it is against the spirit of the law, but there wasn’t a rule in the book so we can’t punish them”
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This should be a simple matter for the NCAA to address; a week of fact gathering, then a day of staff discussions to establish clear guidelines and set punishments, a day to draft the regulations, and an instant to push the button to all ADs and Presidents. I don’t mind them allowing additional coaches, but I do think there should be a level playing field and it should be adhered to. I always wondered why we didn’t use Kevin Butler as a “consultant” for Walsh unless we were concerned about the limits set for people who help coach players during the season. If Saban is skirting the rules and flaunting it in the NCAA’s face, they should take their shot.
And to BCDawg, Cecil Newton’s solicitation of money from MSU clearly was a rules violation, wasn’t any spiritual violation at all. And the NCAA’s compliance officer read that rule exactly as written, it wasn’t ambiguous. They simply ducked it, and Auburn dared the NCAA to call them out by playing him. The aU went “all in” and the NCAA folded the stronger hand, just a terrible first year for Emmert.
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By spirit I meant they didn’t punish Cam in any way, b/c of his “not” knowing, only creating the Cecil Newton rule after the fact. Like how Bama probably isn’t breaking an actual rule, but after this there will be a new standard put in place.
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But that was my point, there was a specific rule in place. The rule did not require Cam to be involved directly, or even know. If money was sought by a player’s representative, or family member, the player became ineligible….at least until it actually happened.
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Got it. I know there is a rule but just thought the “not knowing” was allowed and it was changed to not even allow that (then becoming the newton rule)
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Yes, sad abdication of accountability. Selectively enforcing rules seems to be in vogue these days. It ultimately leads to lack of respect, resentment, and confusion over what is expected by the “subjects”.
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Hines Ward, analyst. That’s got a nice ring to it.
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Hines works for NBC, might be hard to fit it in his schedule.
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So let’s hire three or four special teams “analysts” and be done with it.
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This^
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Don’t get any ideas about doing that here. Oversigning coaches would cost The Most Profitable Program In College Football® money, even if they were grad assistants.
You can forget about it.
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Maybe the NCAA will get around to clarifying the line between coach and analyst, without crossing a line of its own (see: disastrous attempt to cap assistant coach salaries in basketball). In the meantime – hire analysts. Lots of them.
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This should be #3 on Emmert’s bucket list. Right after get a life and get a real job! I have no use for the dude. PSU was getting skewered in the press so he made a move. Without the press forcing his hand and if JoePa was still living he wouldn’t do crap. Now a kid with no money selling his own jersey, that’s a crime there partner!
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