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The Tuscaloosa News
Why did Kalen DeBoer, Alabama football add Jason Jones to Crimson Tide coaching staff?
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Why did Kalen DeBoer, Alabama football add Jason Jones to Crimson Tide coaching staff?
MOBILE, Ala. — Kalen DeBoer said he didn't need to add an Alabama football alum to his coaching staff. But with Jason Jones , it was an added bonus.
After firing Colin Hitschler after one season with the Crimson Tide , DeBoer hired Jones, a former Alabama defensive back and Tuscaloosa native who was most recently the cornerbacks coach at North Carolina , to his staff.
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Jones was one of two additions to the Crimson Tide defensive staff, along with promoting Chuck Morrell to linebackers coach after one season as special assistant to the head coach.
"It actually kind of surprised me when I brought his name up to a few members of the coaching staff," DeBoer said at the Senior Bowl Tuesday. "Didn't realize there were as many connections. When I dove into those connections a little bit more, just the same things kept coming out about who he is as a person, how great he is. It's in all facets: recruiting, the X's and O's, just the player development piece. And then him being local and someone who is an alum was an added bonus. It didn't have to be that way, but it certainly something I know he was excited about."
Jason Jones, Defensive Graduate Assistant, signals a play as Simeon Castille (3) looks on during practice at the University of Alabama practice field Thursday August 12, 2004. Alabama started practice this week to get ready for the 2004 season.
Jones was a graduate assistant at Alabama in 2003-04 under Mike Shula before stops at Tulsa, Rice , Oklahoma State, Ole Miss , FAU and Indiana .
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Jones worked with Dave Wommack, the father of Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack , at Ole Miss .
Jones joined Mack Brown's staff at North Carolina in 2023. In 2024, the Tar Heels allowed 226.3 passing yards per game.
"Just an all-around team player in everything," DeBoer said of Jones. "We were looking for the right kind of combination as we worked into the defensive backs and the coaching of that group as a whole. Love what we got there in Mo Linguist and now Jason Jones."
In 2024, Alabama allowed 185.8 passing yards per game.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Why Kalen DeBoer, Alabama football added Jason Jones to coaching staff
