Joel Klatt reacts to Alabama new strategic move
Joel Klatt reacts to Alabama hiring George Helow ahead of Michigan matchup
Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt was a big fan of Alabama hiring former Michigan linebacker coach George Helow ahead of the College Football Playoff matchup with the Wolverines.
Nick Saban openly admitted he wanted to bring him back, knowing that Helow coached at Alabama in the past. It wasn’t exactly a long stint, but Saban knows him.
As far as Klatt is concerned, he knows Saban made a wise move considering Helow’s experience working with the Michigan defense.
“If I’m Alabama and Nick Saban, this is absolutely what I’m doing,” Klatt said on his podcast. “Of course, you think, like, I’m gonna get in trouble for saying this, but this is a lot better than having some grainy cell phone footage from across the field. Like you get a coach that was in their building, like tell me everything about what they do. Our employee now.
“Like oh my gosh, Nick Saban continues to be the best and he leaves no stone unturned. And by the way, this is why players love to go play for him, because he doesn’t leave a stone unturned. He is constantly thinking of ways to gain an advantage and continue to, as he likes to put it, provide value not only to his players, but to his program.”
For Saban to make this move late in the season, but just ahead of the biggest game of the season to date, Klatt thought it was a genius move. But still, it’s typical Saban to bring in a guy like Helow.
“That’s his job, and he does it better than anybody,” Klatt said. “So I’m not begrudging Nick Saban, what he does here, this is brilliant. I would do it. He’s got the resources to do it. And now he’s able to do it. And here’s a former Michigan linebacker coach, sitting in meetings talking about what everything Michigan does, how their defense is built.
“What’s their philosophy, what do they like to do on offense? What are these coaches like? Do they have tendencies? What were those tendencies when they brought up ways to break those tendencies? How did they talk about that? I mean, this is a brilliant hire. It’s so beautiful.”
Helow’s experience with Alabama isn’t as extensive as Saban is making is seem, however, there is some history between the two. According to his staff profile at Michigan, Helow was an intern in the weight room in 2012 during the spring and summer before working as a defensive intern for coordinator Kirby Smart during that fall.
He left for Florida State the following year and did not return to Tuscaloosa until this year’s bowl preparation. Obviously, his experience as linebackers coach at Michigan ahead of this year’s CFP semifinal matchup doesn’t hurt his resume in Saban’s eyes, either.
Alabama and Michigan square off in the Rose Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinals January 1st at 5:00 p.m. ET