Crimson Red Sports

Justin Smiley always played with a mean streak that embodied what Nick Saban wants everyman lineman to try and accomplish, "Just make their ass quit".

That "Sabanism" was embodied in Smiley even before he knew Nick Saban.

Now he's come home, after ending his six-year NFL career, to teach that mantra firsthand to a new group of linemen as a student assistant coach at Alabama. Nick Saban says it will be great to have another coach on hand with such recent NFL experience that the players can relate to.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/831488-alabama-football-justin-smiley-leaves-the-nfl-to-return-to-the-tide-as-a-coach

Nice move by CNS and a great catch by pmull.  #+

Nice move by Justin and Bama. If Justin is working toward becoming a big time coach, he could'nt ask for a better staff and head coach to do that with. Bama on the other hand can benefit from Justin, he's young and he's first hand out of the NFL, I'm anxious to watch this in the weeks to come. Roll Tide!  :clap:

Would be great if he could have some impact on our OL.

Maybe he can replace Stoutland... :-\

What about him maybe replacing Pannunzio, he's been linked to a lot of Miami fiasco. I get the feeling that he'll be gone after the season is over.

That's what I figured this was about.  We get Smiley now, and he is an apprentice.

I don't see Smiley as a guy looking for a "director of football operations" office job.  I'm guessing he wants to be on the field with the big uglies.

Also, as a side note, I have a hard time reading these Bleacher Report articles.  Burton says he was a first team All-SEC selection as a senior.  He left for the NFL after his junior season.  He also says he wanted to come play for Gene Stallings but ended up playing for Dubose, Franchione, and Shula.  Stallings retired when Smiley was a freshman in high school.  I think he was aware who he was coming to play for.   :dunno:

Pannuzio will be replaced by Groh, who will be replaced by Cris Carter.

That's a heckuva prediction.

Hmmm, Ole Rueben has done laid out some stuff on us and he could be exactly right.  :D

   When WR Chris Black from Florida committed, he stated, " I could not pass up being coached by coach Saban and Cris Carter."

 Cat
out
of
bag.

I remember that.  That would be cool.

I don't believe Cris Carter will ever help us out in any role other than volunteering at camps and whatnot as he did this summer.  I just don't see him settling down in Tuscaloosa, especially after Duron's time is finished.

I don't know a lot about him other than his time he spent in football but he ever wanted to settle down, it would be a great opportunity for him.