Change is stirring in Tuscaloosa. In the wake of Alabama’s tough 3-38 playoff defeat to Indiana, head coach Kalen DeBoer has wasted no time making bold adjustments, parting ways with offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic. The shake-up may not stop there, though. DeBoer is reportedly targeting a USC offensive analyst as a potential replacement.

As CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported, Alabama might hire USC offensive analyst Adrian Klemm as its next offensive line coach. If Klemm makes this move, he will be back on the field after spending the 2025 season working off it under Lincoln Riley.

Klemm comes with a significant NFL resume, as he served as an offensive line coach for the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also played as a starting offensive lineman in the NFL with the Patriots. At the college level, he coached at SMU, UCLA, Oregon, and USC. So, that makes it clear why Kalen DeBoer got him in.

What makes this move even more evident is Klemm’s strong ties with Alabama. He has a solid relationship with Crimson Tide general manager Courtney Morgan, which dates back to their UCLA days. Even his son Jalen Klemm got into the Washington Huskies in 2023 and played under Kalen DeBoer, where Morgan served as general manager.

On top of that, Adrian Klemm’s resume speaks volumes about his excellence. In 2012, he was named the Pac-12 Recruiter of the Year, as per 247Sports. Under his guidance, six college players entered the NFL, 2 were All-Americans, and 16 earned All-Conference selections.

He developed the Steelers’ explosive running back, Najee Harris, who became a 1,200-yard rookie in 2021. Klemm was also part of the Steelers staff that won the AFC North in 2020, which had the league’s best pass protection, allowing just 14 sacks. Then he brought in the same kind of turnaround in college, too. Under him, Oregon’s unit led the FBS in fewest sacks allowed with just five all season.

Bringing in a new offensive line coach became very important for Kalen DeBoer and the team. Their offense struggled big time in the 2025 season, averaging 104.1 rushing yards per game and ranking 15th in the SEC. The Tide only managed 3.4 yards per carry while the offensive line surrendered 33 sacks over the season.

Protection issues even got worse as the season went on. Alabama allowed 12 sacks in the first half of the season but gave up 17 in the second half. Even their offensive line is showing no trust in them. Michael Carroll is the only starter expected to return, while the remaining four spots are likely to be filled with backups or portal additions. Also, six of Alabama’s 17 transfers are offensive linemen.

So, Klemm’s extensive experience and past success can be a major backing for Alabama’s offense. However this ends, it’s Kalen DeBoer’s only chance to reunite with his old ally.

Kalen DeBoer loses chance to reunite with old staffer

Connections matter most in Kalen DeBoer’s system, as he brings in his trusted guys to the team. He got his Washington guys, Ryan Grubb and JaMarcus Shepherd, on the team to build his 2024 season. But with them, even Scott Huff joined in as offensive line coach back then.

However, that didn’t last for long, as Huff accepted an offer to join the Seattle Seahawks, and even Grubb joined the NFL as Seattle’s offensive coordinator. That halted their reunion in 2024.

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Now, after a year, Grubb came in, joining Alabama as offensive coordinator, whereas Scott Huff stayed in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams as their tight ends coach. But after DeBoer’s move to fire his OL coach, there was a chance for Huff and his reunion until Klemm came in. Even Shepherd moved to Oregon State, taking the head coaching role after spending two years as assistant head coach at Alabama. It’ll be interesting to see how things pan out in the future.