In the decade's worth of college football seasons from 2008 to 2017, Alabama had either Kirby Smart or Jeremy Pruitt as its defensive coordinator.
Smart and Pruitt parlayed their success as Nick Saban's defensive masterminds into current head-coaching positions in the Southeastern Conference, but they were recognized names before they coached the Crimson Tide given that they played in the SEC. Tosh Lupoi played and ascended the coaching ranks in the Pac-12 with California before arriving at Alabama in 2015 and becoming defensive coordinator last season, which leaves Pete Golding as the Saban defensive coordinator in Tuscaloosa with the most obscure background.
Golding is a former safety for the Delta State Statesmen who had coaching stops at his alma mater, Tusculum and Southeastern Louisiana before landing his first Bowl Subdivision position as the Southern Miss safeties coach in 2014.
"I played Division II football, was a graduate assistant for a semester and got my first DC job at 22," Golding said in a recent news conference. "I've never looked at where I was or where I was trying to go. My old man was a high school football coach for a long time, and whatever I was going to do, I was all in wherever I was.
"I've never called another guy for another job. I wasn't calling agents and doing all that BS. I've always been here to coach football, no matter where it's at. I like developing young men, and I never worry about my next job."
The Crimson Tide held their sixth preseason practice Thursday, which included a guest speech from former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.
Golding spent the 2016-17 seasons as the defensive coordinator at Texas-San Antonio. UTSA set school records for tackles for loss and sacks in 2016, and the 2017 Roadrunners allowed just 287.8 yards per game to rank seventh nationally.
Saban hired Golding to coach inside linebackers last season and promoted him to defensive coordinator after Lupoi left to become defensive line coach of the Cleveland Browns. Golding is one of two new coordinators for the Crimson Tide, with former Washington and Southern California coach and former Alabama analyst Steve Sarkisian returning to Tuscaloosa to guide the offense.
"I'm really pleased with the way the new coaching staff has come together," Saban said. "We have new leadership on both sides, and those guys have done a really good job of developing relationships with the players. They're very knowledgeable, and they're very organized."
Alabama is moving on without defensive linemen Isaiah Buggs and Quinnen Williams, linebackers Christian Miller and Mack Wilson and defensive backs Deonte Thompson and Saivion Smith. Sizable turnover is commonplace in Tuscaloosa, with defensive lineman Raekwon Davis, linebackers Dylan Moses and Anfernee Jennings and defensive backs Shyheim Carter and Xavier McKinney among those having now stepped to the forefront.
The Crimson Tide allowed 106 points in their final three games last season against Georgia, Oklahoma and Clemson, giving Golding plenty of issues to address during the first several months in his position.
"Obviously I'm excited about the new role," Golding said. "I think I've been fortunate early in my career to be able to call some defenses and to be around some good guys, and that obviously includes Coach Saban, who has been an icon for me for my entire coaching career. I realize I've been more fortunate than others, because there are a lot of great coaches out there who haven't gotten the opportunity that I have.
"I just try to keep my head down and do the best I can do to develop my position and affect the people around me. Whether I'm at Tusculum or Alabama, my preparation is going to be exactly the same."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.