Auburn football: Twitter reacts to Kevin Steele becoming Alabama DC
Long-time Auburn football defensive coordinator Kevin Steele — famous for staging a coup on the Plains to usurp Gus Malzahn in the winter of 2020 before moving on to Tennessee and Miami the last two seasons — is returning to one of the old stomping grounds of his 43-year coaching career spanning 13 different programs/NFL franchises: Alabama.
Nick Saban replaced Pete Golding, who’s now at Ole Miss, with the polarizing 64-year-old coaching veteran on February 5 after Steele was reported as a defensive coordinator candidate the day prior.
In the wake of the hiring of a man with experience at schools with rabid followings like Tennessee, Nebraska, Florida State, Clemson, LSU, Tennessee, Miami, and Auburn football, Twitter was lit up about Steele’s Crimson Tide hiring for various reasons:
That’s the same DC that gave up 40+ points to Clemson, Pitt, Duke, Middle Tennessee and Florida State?? Why would Nick Saban want him?
— 🇵🇷🐊 (@ThatsJoeDirt) February 5, 2023
But i thought Mario was in the middle of building a dynasty down south? Howcome both coordinators left so suddenly
— Nole Fan (@Nolessssss) February 5, 2023
Man I can’t wait to come back to this post in a year after Saban 8th natty
— turbo (@turbooospeed) February 6, 2023
Bruh can coach n a players coach so idk how well he n saban gel but if they do he will be elite. May have def that bend but teams will leave redzone ith a 0 no more than 3. Players will def love him and day n age of transfer portal i see why saban hired him. saban knows to adjust
— WarDamnFrEeZe (@WarDamnFrEeZe) February 6, 2023
Thought they were getting Pruitt ? 😂 Bama program falling off the cliff. Go dawgs!
— RiduFly (@RiduFly) February 5, 2023
Bama on the decline tbh…
— Go Vols 🍊 (@GoHuskies1234) February 6, 2023
And they thought they can pull Schuman away from Kirby 😂😂😂
— Ben Meeler (@HowB0utDemDawgs) February 6, 2023
Auburn football would’ve been better off with Kevin Steele than Bryan Harsin
As hated as Kevin Steele is on the Plains (and many other places), his Auburn football recruiting track record was stellar and his résumé is filled with some of the biggest programs in the history of the sport. He’s never been part of a championship team, but this is Steele’s most serious chance to do so.
Looking at the situation objectively, AU would undoubtedly be in a better place if #StopSteele didn’t work back in 2020 and he took over for Bryan Harsin. The team’s strengths defensively would have been accentuated and, depending on the play-caller he found, the offense under Steele could have been better too.
It’s hearsay at this point of course, but it’s hard not to think what if right now with Steele back coaching an SEC team in the state of Alabama.