In early January, new NCAA legislation will officially allow FBS football programs to add a 10th on-field assistant to their coaching staffs. Friday, Alabama, not surprisingly, became the first Power Five program to officially dip into that particular coaching pool.
The Crimson Tide confirmed in a press release that Pete Golding has been added to Nick Saban‘s staff as an ambiguous defensive assistant. Golding will not be permitted to assume an on-field role until Jan. 9, the day the 10th assistant rule officially goes into effect.
The 2017 College Football Playoff championship game is scheduled to be played Jan. 8 of next year, for what it’s worth.
“We are pleased to have Pete and his family join our staff at Alabama,” Saban said in a statement. “Pete is an exciting young coach, who has an outstanding reputation as both a teacher and recruiter. He will be a great fit in our organization with his knowledge of the game and his ability to relate to student-athletes. We are thrilled to welcome Pete and his family to Alabama.”
Golding, who will be permitted to work with his new program in an off-field capacity for now, has spent the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at UT-San Antonio. Prior to that, Golding spent two seasons as the safeties coach at Southern Miss, his first job at the FBS level.
Saban will still need to fill the hole created by defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt‘s hiring as the head coach at Tennessee. Pruitt will remain at Alabama through its playoff run, however long it lasts.