How DeBoer’s Staff Stacks Up Nationally

Dave Bartoo of College Football Matrix knows a thing or two about grading college football coaches. After all, he does it for a living.

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Here are some interesting things Bartoo said on Tide 100.9 during Tuesday's appearance on The Game With Ryan Fowler.

"A grade is a grade. You hire good or you don't. I know the staff isn't full, but this is going to be one of the higher rated 1-11 staffs in Tuscaloosa in the last 6-7 years."

How does it stack up nationally?

"Number one. Their entire career composite grades. It's trending to be the number one on field staff in the country right now."

Who's the lowest graded guy? "Maurice Linguist is a 59.8. He's mid-level 3 start. That is the weakest link on the staff.

"You hired the fourth best safety coach on our report [Colin Hitschler]. He grades out much higher than [T-Rob] the guy you lost to Georgia.

"I would expect [DeBoer] to get a high end linebacker coach to do special teams."

Regarding recruiting: "That's a whole separate report. It's really subjective. Now, it's free agency."

On tight ends coach Nick Sheridan, Bartoo said, "Good numbers. The average grade of a coach at Alabama is 84. The next is 79."

And the best grade: "Overall, Ryan Grubb. He's a five start coordinator. He's the bests OC that's not a head coach today."

On new DC Kane Wommack, Bartoo said, "Look at the talent South Alabama had versus the schedule. That's how we level the playing field."

He feels Wommack was the best DC hire DeBoer could have made.

Bartoo said Scott Huff is an upgrade over Eric Wolford at offensive line, 70.9 vs 58.9. "It's significantly ahead. Huff, we have him labeled as a rising star."

Last week, Bartoo told Fowler that DeBoer was the highest rated head coach in America, even ahead of Georgia's Kirby Smart.

"I'm not saying this to calm people down or stir people up," Bartoo said. "From a level of... excellent decisions on the staff."

Bartoo said Georgia was the second highest rated staff in the SEC following Alabama at this point.

Looking long term at DeBoer's expected success, Bartoo said, "You have a lot more parity. Anybody taking over for Nick, you can't expect six national championships.

"I think DeBoer is an excellent coach and was the best guy available. You've got Kirby and Kalen, who else after that? Kalen is right there. Look what the guy has done with his talent at Washington."

Bartoo closed by pointing out that retained coaches Freddie Roach and Robert Gillespie were his highest rated coaches on Nick Saban's 2023 staff.