Todd Grantham, who’s been a defensive coordinator at Georgia, Louisville, Mississippi State and, most recently, Florida, could be joining the staff at college football's preeminent program, sources tell FootballScoop.
Grantham, who was fired last fall at Florida prior to Dan Mullen’s ouster from the Gators’ program, has engaged in discussions to join Nick Saban's University of Alabama staff, sources with direct knowledge indicated. Grantham has fielded multiple offers over the past month; but sources tell FootballScoop the potential to work with Saban is likely to win out.
A former Virginia Tech player who’s also coached in the NFL, Grantham was among college football’s highest-paid assistant coaches last season prior to his firing at Florida. The 55-year-old Grantham, per public records, had a $1.8 million salary with the Gators. Grantham had originally signed a three-year deal worth more than $4.4 million with Florida prior to the 2018 season and then saw the pact extended an additional year at the $1.8 million salary for last season.
Only then-Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables was confirmed to have a higher salary among collegiate defensive coordinators last season.
Grantham's potential role with the Tide is to be determined; throughout his career he's worked closely with both the defensive line and linebackers' position groups.
Alabama and Saban earlier this offseason began to fortify their defensive staff after separating with Jay Valai and welcoming in former South Carolina defensive coordinator Travarris Robinson, most recently at Miami.
Grantham’s best work as defensive coordinator might have been in 2017 at Mississippi State, when he took a Bulldogs’ stop-unit that had ranked below 100 and, with his preferred 3-4 system, guided the Mississippi State defense into the top-10 national rankings. Grantham was a Broyles Award semifinalist that year for his work with the Bulldogs.
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