It's Official: Karl Dunbar New Tide Defensive Line Coach
Alabama Crimson Tide Football
Defensive Line Coach Karl Dunbar
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Now it's official. University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban yesterday announced the hiring of Karl Dunbar to be the new coach for the defense line for the Crimson Tide. While the hire has generally been known, or conclusions had been drawn, it is now official with this announcement.
"We have known Karl Dunbar for a long time and he has a lot of experience coaching the defensive line in both the NFL and college," Saban stated. "Karl is very familiar with our program from an organizational standpoint as well as the defensive scheme we run. He is a fantastic football coach who brings a wealth of coaching experience while being a great asset in recruiting."
Dunbar has spent 11 of his last 12 years in the National Football League as a defensive line coach. His most recent position was with the Buffalo Bills in 2015 under head coach Rex Ryan. It was the same position he held the previous three seasons under Ryan with the New York Jets.
Dunbar said, "I am really excited to get back into college football and to have a chance to work with such a talented group of student-athletes at The University of Alabama. The program Coach Saban has built at Alabama is second to none, and the opportunity to work for him once again is special. I have a great appreciation for the tradition and history that surrounds Crimson Tide football, and I look forward to doing my part to contribute to this program's continued success."
Prior to New York and Buffalo, Dunbar was the Minnesota Vikings as their defensive line coach from 2006-11 after also working as the Chicago Bears defensive line coach in 2004.
Dunbar also has three years of college coaching experience on the defensive line. He was at LSU in 2005 and two years with Oklahoma State prior to that in 2002-03. He got his start in college coaching at Nicholls State in 1998-99 as the Colonels defensive line coach. He moved to LSU as a strength and conditioning coach for the 2000-01 seasons.
Dunbar, a native of Opelousas, Louisiana, played his college ball for LSU where he was an eighth round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He spent three years in the NFL, playing for the New Orleans Saints in 1993 and the Arizona Cardinals in 1994-95.
Dunbar graduated from LSU in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. He and his wife, Pamela, have three children, Karmichael MacKenzie II, Mickel Angelle and Nickolette Alyse.
Welcome to the University of Alabama, new defensive line coach Karl Dunbar. Roll Tide!
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Crimson Tide Men Lead SEC Track & Field Championships
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama men's and women's track and field teams are looking good after the first day of the 2016 Southeastern Conference Track & Field Championships being held at the Sam Bailey Track & Field Complex in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide received top eight finishes in the
men’s hammer, men’s 10,000 meters and women’s hammer on the first day. Bama also has qualified one athlete each into the finals
of the women’s 800 meters as well as the men’s and women’s 200 meters.
The Crimson Tide men lead the men's side of the competition with 15 points. Following Bama are Mississippi (13), Georgia (12), Arkansas and Florida (10 points each).
The Georgia Bulldogs lead the women with 12 points. Ole Miss is in
second place with 11 points, followed by Kentucky and Tennessee in a tie for third at 10
points. Alabama is tied for sixth with 6 points.
Inclimate weather caused a two-hour delay on the opening day of the championships on Thursday. Heavy rain and lightning set in prior to the start of the 10,000 meter races and men's hammer throw. That wasn't all of the problems, however. Shortly after the start of the men's 10,000 meters another delay occurred due to an approximately 35-minute power outage that knocked out all power to the UA campus. Once power was restored the race was restarted.
Crimson Tide sophomore Danielle McConnell finished third in the women's hammer throw in the first final last night. This was her second-best effort of the year with a mark of 196-3 (59.82m), and was the ninth-best mark in school history. Junior Antibahs Kosgei ran to a second place finish in the 10,000 meters in a time of 29:49.16. Junior Elias Hakansson finished fourth in the men’s hammer throw with an effort of 224-7 (68.46m) while freshman Daniel Haugh finished seventh in the hammer with a toss of 215-4 (65.63m). Hakansson’s mark is his second-best throw this season.
Senior Kimberley Ficenec shone in the women's 800 meters, posting the third-fasted qualifying time and a personal-best time of 2:05.74.For the men’s side, junior Jacopo Lahbi finished fourth in his heat at 1:48.55 but did not manage to advance to Saturday’s final. In the 200 meters, senior Ahmed Ali and junior Diamond Gause were able to advance to the men’s and women’s finals respectively on Saturday.
Alabama track and field head coach Dan Waters said, "I thought we got off to a good start today. After the weather delay and the power outage, we stayed focused a competed well. We advanced three to finals on Saturday, had a personal best in the women’s 800 and finished well in the 10,000 and the hammer throw. It was a good day."
All eyes will be on Alabama Junior Quanesha Burks today as she will be defending the women’s long jump title she won at the 2015 championships. The opening field event for the championships is scheduled for 2 pm CT. For the men, Alabama freshman On the men’s side, freshman Kord Ferguson and juniors Kyle Felpel, Nathan Kerr and Hayden Reed are expected to make a great showing in the men’s shot put at 3:05 p.m.
Also looking to shine today are Katelyn Greenleaf on the track in the women's steeplechase final, sophomore Haley Teel in the women's shot put final as well as junior Kevin Shannon and freshman Mark Edwards in the men's javelin final.
Preliminary events include the 100 meters, 400 meters, 1,500 meters and the men’s 110 and women’s 100 hurdles.
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
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Crimson Tide Celebrity Golf Classic Auction
Graphics Credit: RollTide.com
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Will Ignont Has Decided Where To Play College Football
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Crimson Tide Celebrity Golf Classic Auction
The 2016 Crimson Tide Celebrity Golf Classic Auction is now underway through May 21st at 12:59 pm CT. There are a select number of items available, such as a painted game-used
football from the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic against Michigan State, a
Coach Bryant and Joe Namath print signed by Joe Namath and Nike
basketball shoes signed by head coach Avery Johnson. All of these items, and others, are available via an online auction.
All proceeds from the auction will go to the Crimson Tradition Fund.
To access the auction, visit www.501auctions.com/uacelebritygolfclassic
and register. Once registered, you will have the opportunity to place
your bid on one or more items. You will receive a notification via your smartphone
if you have been outbid.
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Will Ignont Has Decided Where To Play College Football
The number five inside linebacker in the nation has decided for which college football team he wants to play. 6' 2", 235-pounder decided, but is not saying. Will Ignont isn't ready to share that information just yet.
Early last month Ignont released his top 10 list. The Alabama Crimson Tide was number five on that list. But the Tide moved up after the young man and his family moved back from Florida to Alabama and gave the Tide a boost.
Whatever his decision, the young man says he is 100 percent committed to his choice.
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LB Markail Benton Considers Alabama Crimson Tide
2017 LB Prospect Markail Benton
Photo Credit: 247Sports.com
Though many believe that Central-Phenix City linebacker Markail Benton is an Auburn Tiger lean, he says it's not the case. He says its wide open as to where he'll be playing his college ball.
Benton, 6' 1.5", 235 pounds, lives just 30 minutes away from Auburn, so his view is that it's there so visit. But being close by and taking visits doesn't translate into going there to play ball. He hasn't decided, he isn't in a hurry, and he's going to enjoy the recruitment.
Six schools top Benton's list of possibilities for 2017. Those are Alabama, Auburn, LSU, South Carolina, Clemson and Florida State.
He's gotten bigger and stronger, and is expected to be team leader this season from his inside linebacker position. As a sophomore he played that position, and then was moved by Central coach Jamey Dubose to the outside linebacker position because of a need for a better pass rush. Dubose is making the move again to the inside for this coming season.
Benton is a candidate for either position at the college level. And the Crimson Tide is indeed in the thick of it.
The young man is considered the No. 87 recruit in the nation, the No. 6 outside linebacker and the No. 3 recruit in the state of Alabama according to 247Sports.
