Alabama hiring former Michigan LBs coach prompts hilarious Connor Stalions references: "Nick Saban playing mind games with Jim Harbaugh"
Nick Saban, the mastermind behind Alabama's success for over a decade and a half, has made a strategic move by hiring former Michigan linebackers coach George Helow. According to reports from The Athletic, Helow is set to hit the ground running, joining the Crimson Tide coaching staff immediately.
Amid all this, the timing of Helow's hiring has raised eyebrows, especially with the No. 4-ranked Tide's upcoming Rose Bowl showdown against the No. 1 Wolverines on Jan. 1 in what will be the College Football Playoff semifinal.
The decision by Saban to bring in a former Michigan employee reminded fans of a similar situation involving Connor Stalions - a central figure in the Michigan sign-stealing scandal. Owing to his involvement, he was ultimately dismissed from his position.
College football fans, or at least the theorists among them, think Saban has pulled off a move from the U of M's playbook.
Jim Harbaugh, too, had to face the brunt of the sign-stealing scandal. He served two different bans this season, of three games each. One was self-imposed by the Michigan football program, while the other was imposed by the Big Ten.
Will Nick Saban benefit from George Helow?
George Helow had previously served as Michigan's linebackers coach in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He parted ways with the Wolverines in February and has not coached since. On leaving U-M, Helow said:
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the University of Michigan. These past two seasons have been an honor and an amazing experience, but it is time to explore new opportunities in my career."
Even though Helow might be a bit rusty because of not coaching this season, his experience and expertise will make him a valuable addition to Nick Saban and his coaching arsenal.
The impact of hiring former staffers on game outcomes is debatable. However, Saban must have something to go through with the decision to bring in Helow just before a crucial matchup. As of now, there’s nothing official about what role exactly the linebackers coach would play at the Alabama Crimson Tide.
For as much as we know Nick Saban, he would like to leverage Helow’s knowledge of Michigan’s defense to find some chinks in an armor that has only allows 9.46 points per game in the 2023 college football season.
For now, this move has no tangible impact on the game, but it undeniably adds a compelling subplot to the already high-stakes Rose Bowl.