The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida Gators have always been bitter SEC rivals. That may reach a whole new level after a recently hired coach decided to spurn Alabama to join Florida instead.
Alabama hired former Southern Miss defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong to be their inside linebackers coach earlier in February. However, it appears that a high position from the Florida Gators has changed his mind.
According to Matt Zenith of On3 Sports, Armstrong will instead be heading to Florida to become their new defensive coordinator after previous defensive coordinator Patrick Toney left for an NFL job with the Arizona Cardinals.
To follow up on this: Austin Armstrong is indeed leaving Alabama and taking the defensive coordinator job at Florida, sources tell @on3sports.
Armstrong was Southern Miss’ DC the last two years prior to joining the Bama staff in January.https://t.co/DlIXY67ten https://t.co/Qozxpeqy5N
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) February 22, 2023
It is certainly a turn of events for Armstrong, and many offered their take on the matter on social media.
Brutal business these days https://t.co/uUTdM8IUJ3
— Rodney C (@Rodcox84) February 22, 2023
And there it is. The staff turnover continues in Tuscaloosa. https://t.co/3aQnhA0Xhk
— Clint Lamb (@ClintRLamb) February 22, 2023
That's some Kirby type mess Napier just pulled. We move we will get another ILB coach https://t.co/81jh3F8RGO
— 💥5/11 My Day💥 (@God91In) February 22, 2023
What a career at Alabama. Capstone legend https://t.co/Mjl19puweh
— Matthew (@speak_mc1) February 22, 2023
Welcome Home @CoachAArmstrong 🐊🏡 https://t.co/69w9sLHskd
— Barstool Florida (@UFBarstool) February 22, 2023
This represents a drastic change in Armstrong’s attitude. When he took the job at Alabama, he was excited, even calling it a “dream come true.”
“Growing up in West Alabama the opportunity to coach at The University of Alabama is a dream come true,” Armstrong said at the time, per RollTide.com. “I have admired what Coach Saban has built in Tuscaloosa and the long history of tradition and success this program has enjoyed. I am excited to get to work as we continue the legacy of success that is synonymous with Alabama football.”
This change from Armstrong could be due to his prior connection with Florida head coach Billy Napier. Prior to Armstrong’s tenure at Southern Miss, he served under Napier as his inside linebackers coach at Louisiana-Lafayette.
It is hard to blame Armstrong for backtracking on his job at Alabama to take a better position at Florida. However, Alabama head coach Nick Saban has been known to hold a grudge, and this may give him even more ambition to beat Florida for the foreseeable future.
