Alabama assistant leaving to become Florida defensive coordinator, report says
Alabama inside linebackers coach Austin Armstrong is leaving to become Florida’s next defensive coordinator and begin his third stint with Billy Napier, On3 Sports reported Wednesday.
ESPN reported late Tuesday night that Gators co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Patrick Toney, who calls the team’s defensive plays, was “in negotiations” to join the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and Armstrong was Florida’s target to replace him. The Athletic reported Wednesday morning that Toney “is leaving” the Gators.
Armstrong served as Southern Miss’ defensive coordinator the past two seasons. His hiring by Alabama was reported in mid-January but not made official until last week, when the school announced he would serve as inside linebackers coach.
“Growing up in West Alabama the opportunity to coach at The University of Alabama is a dream come true,” Armstrong said in a statement Feb. 13. “I have admired what Coach Saban has built in Tuscaloosa and the long history of tradition and success this program has enjoyed. I am excited to get to work as we continue the legacy of success that is synonymous with Alabama football.”
Armstrong, 29, is a native of York, Alabama who played at the now-closed Sumter Academy and later, Huntington College in Montgomery. After graduating in 2015, he coached at Montgomery Catholic Prep and then West Georgia. He joined Louisiana’s staff in 2017 and was retained when Billy Napier was hired by the Ragin Cajuns in 2018.
After spending a year as a quality control coach on Kirby Smart’s Georgia staff in 2019, Armstrong re-joined Napier in 2020 as Louisiana’s inside linebackers coach before leaving for Southern Miss the next season.
When Alabama played Southern Miss in Sept. 2021, Saban offered strong praise of Armstrong’s defense.
“They have a very good defensive team for their level of play,” he said. “I would equate their defense to an SEC-type defense in terms of the way they’ve played so far this year.”
Napier is a former Alabama assistant under Saban, serving as an analyst in 2011 and later the Tide’s wide receivers coach from 2013-16.
Armstrong’s departure leaves Alabama with four on-field defensive coaches: coordinator Kevin Steele, defensive line coach Freddie Roach, outside linebackers/special teams coordinator Coleman Hutzler and cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson.
One option to replace Armstrong would be Steele, who has an extensive background coaching linebackers and could assume inside linebacker duties. Prior to Steele, Pete Golding served both as Alabama’s defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach.
Assisting Golding with Alabama’s inside linebackers the past three seasons was former NFL linebacker Max Bullough, who served as a graduate assistant since 2020. Bullough became an analyst on Alabama’s staff earlier this offseason but days later was reportedly hired by Notre Dame as a defensive graduate assistant.
Among the other options currently on staff is Jake Long, whom Alabama re-hired as an analyst earlier this offseason. Long was an analyst in 2021 before spending last season on Oregon’s staff, assisting Tosh Lupoi in coaching inside linebackers. The Vestavia Hills native is a former walk-on defensive lineman for Alabama.
Alabama has not named a safeties coach after Charles Kelly left this offseason for Colorado, and could possibly use its opening created by Armstrong’s departure to fill that role.
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