ALABAMA FOOTBALL NAMES JEFF STOUTLAND ASSISTANT COACH

Here is the official release from the University:

Stoutland will step in for Joe Pendry, who announced his retirement.
Alabama head football coach Nick Saban announced on Friday the hiring of Jeff Stoutland as offensive line coach. Stoutland most recently served as the offensive line coach at the University of Miami. He replaces Joe Pendry, who officially retired from coaching following his fourth year with the Crimson Tide.

“We are certainly happy to add a coach the caliber of Jeff Stoutland to our staff at the University of Alabama,” said head coach Nick Saban. “He has a great reputation in the coaching profession in terms of his knowledge of the game, his reputation as a teacher in relaying that knowledge to the players, and also his ability as a recruiter. When Joe let me know of his decision to retire, Jeff’s name was the first that came up and he was the first coach we called. He will be an outstanding addition to our coaching staff and we are pleased to welcome the Stoutland family to Tuscaloosa.”

Stoutland spent the previous four seasons at Miami as the offensive line coach and was named the interim head coach prior to UM’s bowl game this year. The Hurricanes led the ACC in total offense (421.3 ypg) and were third in rushing (182.5 ypg). Brandon Washington was a first-team All-ACC selection at guard and tackle Orlando Franklin was a second-team honoree. In 2009, tackle Jason Fox earned first-team all-conference honors and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 4th round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

One of the nation’s most respected line coaches, Stoutland spent the previous seven seasons (2000-06) at Michigan State. He produced six All-Big Ten selections during his tenure and was on the staff that led the nation’s No. 5 offense in 2005. Before his stint with the Spartans, he was an assistant at Syracuse (1997-99) for three years and at Cornell (1992-96) for five years.

“This is a great opportunity to come to the University of Alabama and coach the offensive line,” said Stoutland. “I’m leaving behind a great group of young men at Miami, but this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I’m really excited to get started and anxious to begin teaching. We want to finish up the recruiting class strong and then go rapidly into spring football. When Coach Saban called me and asked if I would be interested, I was excited. The first thing I thought of was winning. I think anybody that follows college football realizes Coach Saban’s record of success, what he’s been able to accomplish in college football, and I’m all about that. On top of that, being able to coach with some of the coaches that I’ve been around before in Jim McElwain, Bobby Williams, Sal Sunseri, and I have also worked with Mike Vollmar. These are people who have been important in my life and to be able to come back and work together means a lot. We are really happy to be in Tuscaloosa and I have to say my wife fell in love with Tuscaloosa within 12 hours. We are excited to be here and I can’t wait to get started.”

Stoutland was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at inside linebacker at Southern Connecticut State (1980-84), where he was a team captain as a senior. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1984 and added a master’s degree in exercise physiology from the school in 1986. He and his wife, Allison, who is a published children’s author, have two children: Jake and Madison.

For the last four seasons, Joe Pendry developed and oversaw one of the top offensive lines in the country. He tutored three first-team All-Americans during his tenure in center Antoine Caldwell, tackle Andre Smith and guard Mike Johnson – all of whom are currently on NFL rosters. Most recently, tackle James Carpenter and guard Barrett Jones received first-team All-SEC recognition and Jones was a first-team Academic All-American. In addition, center William Vlachos was a second-team All-SEC pick and tackle D.J. Fluker was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. His 2009 line played a key role in Alabama’s undefeated season and national championship, along with helping to clear the way for Mark Ingram to win the school’s first Heisman Trophy.

“My relationship with Joe goes way back and more than being an outstanding coach, he is a great friend,” said Saban. “We really appreciate all he did in his four years coaching at Alabama. He was part of that first staff in 2007 and played a big part in building the program back to national prominence. You would have a hard time finding someone who knows more about the game of football than Joe Pendry. Even though he won’t be on the coaching staff, we are happy that he will still be a part of the athletic department. I know he will do very good job in what Mal has planned for him just as he did as a coach. We wish Joe and Sandi the best and I know this will be a great opportunity for them to spend more time with their family.”

Pendry will still be involved in the athletic department in several roles following his retirement from coaching. His duties will include working with Director of Athletics Mal Moore in a development capacity, events and correspondence with former players, as well as duties as an advisor assisting with NFL matters.

“Without question, Coach Pendry brought an unbelievable level of knowledge to the game,” said Moore. “This University certainly benefitted from his efforts and we appreciate him more than he’ll ever know. I’m pleased that he has decided to remain here and assist me with some duties within the department in which he can be very effective. I’m also pleased that Joe and Sandi love the Tuscaloosa area and plan to retire here. They’ll always be a part of this community and this University.”

A veteran with impressive credentials from the pro and college ranks, Pendry started his coaching career at West Virginia as a student coach in 1967 and earned his first full-time position there as freshman coach in 1970. He has been a coordinator on the college and professional level, and was a head coach in the USFL with the Pittsburgh Maulers in 1984. Pendry spent 19 seasons in the NFL and was the offensive coordinator with Houston, Carolina, Buffalo and Kansas City.

“The last four years have really been some of the most enjoyable and memorable of my career,” said Pendry. “I just felt like this was the right time to retire and I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family, especially the grandkids. I can’t thank Coach Saban and everyone at the University of Alabama enough for all they’ve done for me and my family. The University is such a special place and will always be for us. The support from the alumni and fans really make Alabama the best in the country. I’d like to thank the players I had the chance to coach, we had some great guys in that offensive line meeting room and I’ll miss working with them each day as much as anything. We won a lot of games with a great staff and great players here and I expect that to continue. Tuscaloosa has been very good to us and is really our home now, and I’m looking forward to helping out Coach Moore and the athletic department in the future.”