Hiring is always smoother when connections are handy, and that’s the move Kalen DeBoer appears to be going for. Alabama is expected to hire former USC senior defensive analyst Adrian Klemm as the Crimson Tide’s new offensive line coach. Klemm is a proven coach with experience at both the college and NFL levels. More than the résumé, it’s the familiarity that is making the difference. Klemm is set to reunite with known faces in Tuscaloosa, starting with Kalen DeBoer.

Klemm’s oldest son, Jalen, is currently an offensive lineman at Arizona State. But before that, he played for DeBoer at Washington. Jalen transferred in from Kansas State and appeared in seven games during the Huskies’ 14–1 season, serving as a backup tackle and special teams contributor. After Washington’s national championship loss in January 2024, Kalen DeBoer left for Alabama. Just a couple of weeks later, on January 30, Jalen Klemm entered the transfer portal.

Then there’s Alabama GM Courtney Morgan. Klemm and Morgan go way back to their UCLA days. From 2012 to 2016, Klemm was the Bruins’ offensive line coach and run game coordinator, while Morgan worked as UCLA’s director of player development and high school relations from 2013 to 2014.

Klemm played a key role in getting Morgan hired, personally recommending him to then–head coach Jim Mora. Their relationship started through B2G. It’s a football skills training company where Morgan worked before making the jump to college football. He took the UCLA job despite a massive pay cut, dropping from a corporate salary to just $680 every two weeks.

Morgan later admitted he was “almost homeless” at the time. But the move showed how badly he wanted to be in the sport. That passion never faded. After a brief return to the private sector, Morgan found his way back into athletics. He crossed paths with DeBoer at Fresno State in 2020, where he emerged as a top-three recruiter in the Mountain West.

From there, he spent a year as Michigan’s GM before getting back with Kalen DeBoer at Washington. During the same time, Jalen Klemm was on the roster. Now, all roads lead to Tuscaloosa. DeBoer, Morgan, and Klemm are reuniting again. And while the reunion matters, Klemm isn’t just bringing a known face. He’s bringing a track record of success with him.

 Adrian Klemm’s elite résumé

Adrian Klemm’s landing on Alabama’s staff feels like hitting the jackpot. Sure, the 48-year-old was listed as a senior defensive analyst at USC in 2025. But make no mistake. His real value is on the offensive side of the ball. Starting with his playing days, Klemm was a second-round NFL Draft pick who spent eight seasons in the pros. He won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots as an offensive lineman. That alone carries a lot of weight.

He later returned to New England as the Patriots’ offensive line coach under Bill Belichick, adding elite NFL coaching chops to his résumé. And that wasn’t his only stop in the league. Klemm also served as the Steelers’ assistant offensive line coach from 2019 to 2021. Even when Pittsburgh’s offense struggled, the O-line stood out. It allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL (just 14 in 16 games).

At the college level, his impact is just as clear. Klemm has held the run game coordinator title at both UCLA and Oregon. In his lone season as Oregon’s offensive line coach in 2022, the Ducks allowed just five sacks in 13 games. It was best in the nation, while finishing 12th in the country in rushing offense. Moreover, player nurturing has always been part of Klemm’s prowess.

He developed future NFL linemen like UCLA’s Xavier Su’a-Filo, a Morris Trophy winner, and helped Najee Harris break out for a 1,200-yard rushing season at Pittsburgh. Then there’s recruiting. Klemm is known as a strong closer, especially in the Western part. He was the important recruiter for Josh Conerly, the No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2022 class and the highest-profile offensive lineman ever to sign with the Ducks. Klemm leaned on his West Coast ties and NFL background.