Alabama’s defensive assistant coach receives a promotion

Freddie Roach was one of Alabama’s two on-field position assistant coaches from the Nick Saban era who Kalen DeBoer kept on staff.

Roach, a native of Florence, Alabama, is in his fifth season as the defensive line coach for the Crimson Tide and his third stint on the coaching staff overall.

From 2002 to 2005, he was a linebacker for the University of Alabama. As an assistant coach, he won four national titles (in 2009, 2015, 2017, and 2020).

Roach held positions as director of player development from 2015 to 2017, assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2008 to 2010, and defensive line coach during this time. DeBoer thinks highly of him because he is developed into one of Alabama’s top recruiters.

This offseason, Roach was promoted to “Assistant Head Coach.” While he will still train with defensive linemen, Roach accepts additional duties under DeBoer.

In 2023, Justin Eboigbe, Tim Kennan III, Tim Smith, Jaheim Oatis, and Jah-Marien Latham all had good seasons thanks to Roach. For the Crimson Tide, Eboigbe had an excellent fifth season, recording seven sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss, and four quarterback hurries. He became more valuable in the NFL Draft.

Roach will have another chance in the upcoming fall to develop more elite players.