Kevin Steele talks about returning to Alabama staff

Kevin Steele has worked at many of the top college football programs in the country, but he didn’t have to think long when asked what makes Alabama different.

“It’s the head coach,” Steele said Tuesday, prior to an appearance at a Team Focus fundraiser in Mobile. “The process, the plan that he has, and the way he implements that plan is second to none. It really is. He does it better than arguably anybody’s ever done it.

“But then the commitment of the university and that when you walk in, everything that touches us as a staff or touches our players is first-class. There’s not nine things that are fabulous. And then one thing is like … why is this like this? Everything that touches our players on a daily basis is the best of the best. And that’s what we’re supposed to do for the players.”

The 65-year-old Steele was hired by Alabama head coach Nick Saban for the third time in February, returning to the Crimson Tide as defensive coordinator following the departure of Pete Golding at the end of the 2022 season. Steele worked at LSU, Auburn and (briefly) Tennessee during his nine years away from Saban’s staff, having been the Crimson Tide’s director of player personnel in 2013.

Steele is eligible for retirement in the state of Alabama, and considered walking away from the game for good after he was passed over for head-coaching jobs at Auburn and Tennessee. He spent last season as defensive coordinator for former Alabama assistant Mario Cristobal at Miami, but jumped at the opportunity to return to Tuscaloosa for a third time.

“Well, it’s very simple …when you’ve done it this long, you only do things you feel good about,” said Steele, who was also defensive coordinator on Saban’s original Alabama staff in 2007. “It’s the third time. I obviously understand what (Saban) wants, and the reason is, it’s Alabama and it’s Coach Saban. You know, without those two things, (his return) probably wouldn’t have happened.”

Saban does not typically allow assistant coaches to talk to the media outside of once in August and during bowl week, but makes an exception for Team Focus. Saban had appeared each year at the fundraiser for Team Focus — a mentoring program founded by former college football coach and television analyst Mike Gottfried — since he was hired at Alabama, but was absent this year because he is out of the country.

Outside of a pre-game ESPN interview at Alabama’s A-Day, Steele had not spoken to reporters since he returned to Tuscaloosa before Tuesday. He was also asked about the impending changes in the SEC, which will add Oklahoma and Texas in 2024.

“Those are two premier programs historically, and it’s going to add a lot to the conference,” Steele said. “Obviously, there’ll be some differences because they’re coming from a different-style league. But they’re well coached. They’ve got good players. They’ve traditionally had great teams. It’s just two more problems on the schedule.”

For more information about Team Focus, visit TeamFocusUSA.org.