Alabama hires Jeremy Pruitt as defensive coordinator

Pruitt spent the past two seasons as Georgia’s defensive coordinator and improved the unit from where it was during his time in Athens.

“I want to be at Georgia and I think our whole staff wants to be at Georgia, so I hope that’s clarity enough”, Pruitt said. He was on Saban’s staff for his first six seasons in Tuscaloosa from 2007-2012, including the final three as the Crimson Tide’s defensive backs coach. “We are excited to get back to Tuscaloosa and be a part of one of the outstanding programs in college athletics”.

Pruitt replaces Kirby Smart who took the UGA head football coach job when Mark Richt went to Miami.

He inherited a Georgia pass defense that was atrocious prior to his arrival (227.4 yards per game in 2013), and posted the conference’s second-best pass defense in 2014 (170.4 YPG) and best in 2015 (146.1 YPG).

Pruitt’s move is immediate, a Georgia team spokesman confirmed, meaning he will not coach Georgia’s defense in the Taxslayer Bowl.

Pruitt is expected to begin recruiting for Alabama immediately, and could even serve in an advisory role during practice and the coming playoffs. The Seminoles were No. 1 in the country in scoring defense and No. 3 in total defense that year. Then he became a member of the support staff before working his way onto the field as defensive backs coach.

Pruitt transferred to Alabama and played for the Crimson Tide in 1995 and 1996 after playing two years at Middle Tennessee State. As a junior, Pruitt played in nine games and recorded seven tackles. But graduate assistant George Helow has also worked closely with the defensive backs this year. He earned All-State honors in both 1991 and 1992. The school said Schiano’s hiring is pending completion of a background check and approval from the Ohio State University Board of Trustees.