Greg Byrne, director of athletics at Alabama, is worried about the trend of college coaches quitting to work in the NFL.
Greg Byrne voiced his worries on Friday regarding coaches quitting collegiate football to play professionally.
Greg Byrne, the director of athletics at Alabama, voiced worries on Friday on what he saw as a pattern of college coaches quitting to join the NFL.
“Yeah, I really am [apprehensive about the number],” Byrne stated in a Tide 100.9 interview.
Byrne mentioned in particular that Jeff Hafley, the head coach at Boston College, left to take a position as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers.
“It’s certainly one of the less-resourced [head-coaching jobs out] there, and I don’t say that disparagingly at all — they’ve got a great program at Boston College,” Byrne stated. However, he departed to pursue a career as an NFL defensive coordinator. You never would have considered that in the past.”
Byrne also brought up the Group of Five head coaches quitting to take positions as assistant coaches at the Power 5 level, two of whom, Maurice Linguist of Buffalo and Kane Wommack of South Alabama, were hired by Alabama this summer. Shawn Elliott, the coach at Georgia State, also departed last week to take a position as the tight ends coach and run-game coordinator at South Carolina.
“I think you’re going to continue to see more of that as college football, college athletics is under a very challenging transition in so many different ways right now,” Byrne stated. “I believe that coaches are starting to find the NFL lifestyle more appealing overall, both in terms of calendar and the lack of other extracurricular activities that come with being a college student, such as the NIL area, transfer portal, and recruiting calendar. And some of them are seizing the chance when it presents itself to get there.
And I can’t really blame them in all cases. I do remind them that the University of Alabama is the best location to go if you do have to navigate tough waters. We still have to deal with things on a regular basis, so that doesn’t mean we’re immune to those rough seas.”
Byrne talked about Alabama’s own initiatives to raise zero dollars for player compensation.
“At this point, NIL is a reality,” he declared. “The progress we’ve been making with [NIL collective] Yea Alabama has really thrilled me. And participate—$18 per month. Join and take part in that. That’s a crucial component.
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