Alabama football has a target for its opening on the defensive coaching staff.

Jason Jones, the former Crimson Tide player and Tuscaloosa native, is the top target as of Tuesday afternoon to fill the spot left vacant after Alabama moved on from Colin Hitschler, sources with knowledge of the situation told AL.com. Jones would work with defensive backs.

The deal is not done yet as of Tuesday night, but Jones is viewed as the favorite for the opening.

Jones most recently coached cornerbacks at UNC. He also has coached at Indiana, FAU, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State, Tulsa, Rice and Alabama, where he was a graduate assistant from 2003-04. Throughout, Jones has worked as a safeties or cornerbacks coach.

He worked under Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack at Indiana in 2020. Jones also worked under Dave Wommack, Kane’s dad, at Ole Miss.

Jones played for Alabama from 1996-2000 as a defensive back.

Alabama still has Maurice Linguist on staff; He’s a co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach. He primarily worked with cornerbacks this past season while Hitschler worked more with the safeties.

Alabama also officially moved Chuck Morrell into the linebackers coach role. He had been working with the inside linebackers during the 2024 season.

Otherwise, Wommack is set to return as defensive coordinator, Freddie Roach is set to return as associate head coach/defensive line, and Christian Robinson is set to return as outside linebackers coach.

The Crimson Tide allowed its fewest points since 2017, giving up an average of 17.4 points per game. That ranked ninth in college football.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.