Meet DeBoer’s first group of Alabama analysts, special assistants
It’s a new day for Alabama football, the Nick Saban Reform School for Wayward Coaches is no more. The Crimson Tide’s now-retired head coach kept his staff stocked with experience, coaches who had been fired elsewhere, grinding to help the Tide as analysts and special assistants as they attempted to rehab their careers.
Saban is out the door, but the way he changed staffing sport-wide remains. New head coach Kalen DeBoer will also have a room full of off-field assistants as he attempts to keep the Alabama dynasty running.
The current list of special assistants an analysts was revealed Monday, when UA updated its football staff directory. Here’s what to know about each of them.
Jay Nunez– Special assistant to head coach and special teams senior analyst
Alabama doesn’t have a designated special teams coordinator as part of its on-field staff. Nunez, who came over from Oklahoma, lists the coordinator job in his social media bio, and will apparently run the group.
Before OU, Nunez worked at Eastern Michigan.
Ron McKeefery– Special assistant to the head coach
McKeefery worked as a strength and conditioning coach under DeBoer at Washington. He also worked with Alabama’s head coach at Eastern Michigan and Fresno State.
Other stops for McKeefery included Tennessee, South Florida and the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals.
Chuck Morrell– Special assistant to the head coach
Morrell was a college teammate of DeBoer at Sioux Falls before beginning his coaching career. He worked with DeBoer throughout their careers, most currently as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Washington.
Kane Wommack will serve as Alabama’s defensive coordinator.
Ali Smith– Executive assistant to the head coach
Smith follows DeBoer from Washington. She served in the same role there, after a stint as special assistant to the senior associate athletic directors.
Jamey Mosely– Football analyst
Mosley returns to the staff as an analyst. He played football at Alabama, winning national titles as a linebacker in 2015 and 2017.
Mitch Dahlen– Football analyst
Dahlen follows DeBoer to Tuscaloosa from Washington. He was an offensive quality control assistant for the Huskies.
He also worked for DeBeor at Fresno State. He played quarterback at Utah and Southern Utah.
Matt Shadeed– Football analyst
Shadeed comes to Alabama as an analyst after working under Wommack at South Alabama. He was assistant head coach and director of athletic performance for the Jaguars.
Other stops for Shadeed have included LSU, Ole Miss, Arkansas State and Baylor.
Ryan Trevathan– Football analyst
Last season, Trevathan was working as the offensive coordinator for Northeast Mississippi Community College. Now, he’ll move up in program prestige as an analyst for Alabama.
Trevathan’s resume is dotted with junior college experience in the south. He also worked as a graduate assistant at Ole Miss
Kirk Barron– Football analyst
Barron’s social media lists him as working with the Crimson Tide’s offensive line. He played the position himself in college, as a two-time captain at Purdue.
Mark Sheridan– Football analyst
Sheridan is the brother of Alabama offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan. He previously worked at Virginia.