TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The nation’s top defense is on the verge of adding one of the nation's top assistant coaches. According to multiple reports, Alabama is set to hire Miami defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski to the same position. SportsIllustrated.com first reported the hiring Monday evening.
Kuligowski, 49, spent the past two seasons at Miami after serving as Missouri’s defensive line coach for 15 seasons. He will replace Karl Dunbar who was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this month.
Known as one of the best defensive line coaches in college football, Kuligowski helped Miami lead the nation with 3.38 sacks per game last season. Miami ranked fifth with 111 tackles for a loss and was sixth with a plus-13 turnover margin.
During his time with the Hurricanes, he helped develop All-ACC defensive linemen RJ McIntosh and Kendrick Norton. Kuligowski also helped mold several NFL talents at Missouri, including Charles Harris, Ziggy Hood, Shan Ray, Sheldon Richardson and Aldon Smith.
While his coaching abilities are unquestioned, Kuligowski struggled at times on the recruiting trail at Miami. Despite having a need at defensive line, the Hurricanes missed out on several targets, bringing in only two defensive linemen in Nesta Silva (four-star) and Patrick Joyner (three-star).
Kuligowski has a tie to Alabama head coach Nick Saban, playing as an offensive lineman in Saban’s only season as head coach of Toledo in 1990. He earned all-conference honors that year.
Kuligowski began his coaching career in 1992 as Toledo’s recruiting coordinator. He coached offensive line and tight ends from 1993-95 before switching to defensive line from 1996-2000.
