Kevin Steele departure to Alabama opens door for change on defensive side at The U

As everybody was stressing over Mario Cristobal’s search for an offensive coordinator in recent days, Alabama Coach Nick Saban very quietly reached out to Miami defensive coordinator Kevin Steele to gauge his interest in the Tide coordinator position.

Sunday night ESPN confirmed that Steele had accepted the job.

Saban lost Pete Golding to Ole Miss and knows Steele well from two different stints in Tuscaloosa totaling four years during Saban’s tenure, including as coordinator in 2007 and a variation of that in 2008.

Steele also has a very long resume in the SEC. Alabama, Auburn, and LSU have all had Steele as their defensive coordinator at one point or another. Steele would be a safe choice for Saban and if Saban offers the coordinator job to him, the veteran coach is likely gone for one last hurrah in Tuscaloosa. Many thought Saban would hire his defensive analyst, Todd Grantham, but Grantham opted not to seek the job and instead go to the New Orleans Saints as a defensive assistant.

Where does a Steele departure leave Mario Cristobal and Miami? Well, with a few options that would all seem advantageous to the program.

Cristobal could conduct a nationwide search for a defensive coordinator and remake the defensive staff. Remember the name Charlie Partridge. Cristobal has been said to covet Partridge, now the assistant head coach and defensive line coach at Pittsburgh, a long-time South Florida recruiter and former head coach at FAU from 2014-2016. There are also more established names out there like former Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.

Cristobal could also simply elevate co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Charlie Strong to defensive coordinator. Before Strong became a head coach at Louisville, Texas and South Florida, he was defensive coordinator at South Carolina and Florida.

Part of any defensive staff shake-up would likely include an increased role for defensive analyst Jason Taylor if he wants it. Taylor has impressed the entire staff in his first year in Coral Gables and is believed to have a great future in coaching if he chooses to take his life in that direction.

Meanwhile, the offensive coordinator search marches onward with Cristobal believed to be trying to convince Toledo Head Coach Jason Candle to take the job. Candle turned down the opportunity to come to Miami last year and recently signed a three-year extension with Toledo at a $1.1 million figure Miami would exceed. His buyout is $750,000.

But Notre Dame, which lost Tommy Rees to Alabama, is also now believed to be expressing interest in Candle, which complicates the effort. A deal did not get done Saturday and sources told CaneSport that Cristobal is not closing the door to other options.

Stay tuned for continued details as these two situations unfold.