Alabama

Alabama Coach Kalen DeBoer Names Hitschler and Linguist Co-Defensive Coordinators – University of Alabama Athletics

Published

2 years ago

February 26, 2024

Alabama Coach Kalen DeBoer Names Hitschler and Linguist Co-Defensive Coordinators – University of Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer announced the hiring of Maurice Linguist and Colin Hitschler to serve as co-defensive coordinators and secondary coaches on Monday.

“We are excited to have Maurice and Colin join our staff at Alabama,” DeBoer said. “Maurice brings both head coaching experience and an established record of success coaching defensive backs. Colin boasts a wealth of knowledge and experience, has a reputation for developing the skill sets of the players he coaches and is an excellent tactician. They are both proven recruiters and outstanding teachers.”

Linguist spent the last three years as the head coach at the University of Buffalo while Hitschler joins the Crimson Tide after serving as the co-defensive coordinator and coaching safeties at Wisconsin in 2023.

Linguist led Buffalo to 7-6 record in 2022 that included a 5-3 record in Mid-American Conference play. The year was capped with a 23-21 victory over Georgia Southern in the Camellia Bowl, just the third bowl win in program history.

“I have always had an incredible admiration for Alabama’s long history of success,” Linguist said. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to help Coach DeBoer continue that winning tradition, while developing our players both on and off the field.”

Linguist spent the 2020 season as cornerbacks coach with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. He directed a secondary that forced 10 interceptions while allowing the fifth-fewest passing first downs in the league (180).

Linguist has worked with college secondaries at nine programs. Prior to heading to the NFL, he coached cornerbacks at Texas A&M (2018-19), defensive backs at Minnesota (2017), safeties at Mississippi State (2016) and defensive backs at Iowa State (2014-15). His first full-time job was at Valdosta State (2008) before coaching safeties at James Madison (2009-11) and defensive backs at Buffalo (2012-13).

Linguist began at Baylor, his alma mater, as a graduate assistant. He earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors on the field for the Bears. A native of Dallas, Texas, Linguist graduated from Baylor with degrees in communications (2006) and a master’s in health, human performance and recreation (2007). Linguist and his wife, Stacie, have one daughter, Maura, and two sons, Lance and Leon.

In Hitschler’s one season with the Badgers, safety Hunter Wohler led the team in tackles with 120 to go along with two interceptions and six pass deflections. Wisconsin finished the year ranked 20^th nationally in scoring defense (20.2 ppg) and 34^th in pass efficiency defense.

“I have worked in this state, and I understand the importance of Alabama football and its winning tradition,” Hitschler said. “I am excited to have the chance to continue to uphold the Alabama standard while helping the young men in this program to become the best versions of themselves.”

He joined Cincinnati as a quality control coach in 2018 and took over as the safeties coach in 2020. Hitschler was named Football Scoop’s Defensive Backs Coach of the Year in 2020 and one of the “rising-star assistants you need to know” by On3 for 2022.

Led by the nation’s best pass defense, Cincinnati secured its first-ever 13-0 record in 2021, winning a second-straight American Athletic Conference Championship and advancing to the College Football Playoff.

Hitschler came to UC after four seasons at the University of South Alabama. He coached the safeties in 2017, served as the director of football operations from 2015-16 and was a defensive graduate assistant in 2014.

Prior to joining the Jaguars staff, he was a graduate assistant at Arkansas State in 2013. In 2012, he was the defensive backs coach, special teams and recruiting coordinator at Widener University, helping the Pride go 11-1.

A native of Philadelphia, Hitschler wrestled at Pennsylvania for four years before earning his degree in communications and commerce in 2010. He and his wife Rebecca were married in the summer of 2016, and the couple has two daughters, Catherine and Isabel.

While appropriate members of The Board of Trustees have been notified of the proposed terms and conditions of this proposed appointment, the financial terms remain subject to approval by The Board of Trustees.

Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabamaFTBL on X and Facebook and AlabamaFBL on Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on X and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.

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Alabama

Alabama names first state AI officer to coordinate agency efforts

Published

2 hours ago

April 30, 2026

Press Room

Alabama names first state AI officer to coordinate agency efforts

Alabama AI officer Aaron Wright began work Monday April 27 as the state’s first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, a newly created position housed within the Alabama Office of Information Technology.

Wright, who has more than 25 years of experience in health care and state government technology, most recently served as AOIT’s director of application development. He also led the Data Management and Ownership working group within the governor’s Generative AI Task Force.

Wright said in a statement that AI adoption across state agencies has already been underway through informal coordination, and the new role is designed to build on that foundation.

“AI is no longer a future technology; it is here now,” Wright said. “It has become integrated into existing tool sets, and people are using AI tools and platforms throughout their day to enhance and streamline their work.”

He described the position as collaborative rather than regulatory.

“The CAIO position is not intended to be a gatekeeper or a blocker of innovation for Alabama’s agencies,” Wright said, calling it “an advocate, a facilitator, and, when needed, a voice of caution” as agencies adopt AI tools.

Secretary of Information Technology Daniel Urquhart said Wright’s background “positions Alabama to thoughtfully and effectively harness artificial intelligence in ways that can improve outcomes for our agencies and the people we serve.”

Wright said his first priority is creating a shared environment for agencies to compare notes on AI adoption, and that early projects include an AI chatbot for the OIT website.

“Residents should see government services that are simpler, faster and more reliable,” Wright said, including “shorter wait times, more intuitive digital experiences, and better access to information when and where they need it.”

Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at [email protected].

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Alabama

Summer Alabama forecast. See what AccuWeather predicts for heat, storms

Published

14 hours ago

April 30, 2026

Press Room

Summer Alabama forecast. See what AccuWeather predicts for heat, storms

Alabama faces a summer of intense heat, high humidity, and occasional strong storms, with El Niño influencing shifts across the Southeast weather pattern.

While conditions will vary across the state, AccuWeather forecasters expect heat to dominate statewide. At the same time, storm and flooding risks will be concentrated in specific parts of Alabama as the season progresses.

Here’s what Alabama residents can expect for summer 2026.

Heat and Humidity to dominate Alabama summer 2026

Heat is expected to be the defining feature of the season, with much of Alabama likely to see near- or above-normal temperatures.

Even when highs are typical for late June or July, humidity will push “feels-like” temperatures significantly higher, especially in central and southern Alabama.

That means:

More frequent 90-degree days.
Oppressive humidity across the state.
Warm overnight lows that offer little relief.

As a result, energy demand is also expected to rise as residents rely heavily on air conditioning during extended hot stretches.

Alabama summer storms 2026

Unlike some summers with almost daily thunderstorms, 2026 is expected to feature more distinct periods of storm activity, rather than storms developing continuously throughout the season. These storm-active windows will vary by region in the state.

Storm timing breaks down like this:

Upper to central Alabama: Peak thunderstorm activity in June and July.
Southern Alabama: July into August becomes the more active window.

Derecho Risk focused in northern Alabama

One of the more significant severe weather concerns this summer is the potential for derecho events across northern Alabama.

AccuWeather forecasters are highlighting a moderate risk zone in the upper part of the state, where fast-moving lines of thunderstorms could organize during peak summer instability.

These systems are rare but capable of producing widespread damage when they form.

Will there be drought relief in Alabama?

Flooding risks this summer are not widespread, but they are highly localized in two areas that will need close attention during heavy events.

The main flood-prone zones are the upper western and lower eastern corners of the state. Elsewhere, flooding risk stays within the norm for summer storms.

Bottom line: Don’t expect too much relief this summer.

Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter in Alabama for USA TODAY’s Deep South Connect Team. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@usatodayco.com.

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Alabama

How to Watch No. 3 Alabama Softball vs. No. 21 South Carolina

Published

1 day ago

April 29, 2026

Press Room

How to Watch No. 3 Alabama Softball vs. No. 21 South Carolina

Alabama has a quick turnaround to flush its first SEC series loss of the season at Tennessee as the No. 3 Crimson Tide prepares to face No. 21 South Carolina in the regular-season finale at Rhoads Stadium for a three-game series beginning on Thursday.

All three games between Alabama and South Carolina will be streaming only on SEC Network+.

Last year, the Gamecocks took two of three games from the Tide in the regular season series in Columbia under first year head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard, and then beat Alabama in the SEC tournament.

This year, Alabama (44-6, 16-5 SEC) is still fighting for a chance at the regular season conference title two games behind Oklahoma with three games to go. At a minimum, the Tide wants to secure a double-bye in the SEC tournament and as high a seed in the NCAA tournament as possible.

“We need to do our job this year, at home especially, going into the SEC tournament and possible seedings for the NCAA,” Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. “This is a big weekend for both of us. I know she’d probably say the same thing. But this is huge for us.”

The Gamecocks are coming off back-to-back conference series wins over Missouri and Texas A&M while Alabama is coming in off its first conference series loss. Here’s everything you need to know about this weekend’s series.

How to watch: Alabama vs. South Carolina

Who: No. 21 South Carolina (30-22, 7-14 SEC) at No. 3 Alabama (44-6, 16-5 SEC)

When: Thursday, April 30 – 6 p.m. CT
Friday, May 1 – 6 p.m. CT
Saturday, May 2- 1 p.m. CT

Where: Rhoads Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

TV: SEC Network+

Radio: The Crimson Tide Sports Network on Catfish 100.1 FM in Tuscaloosa (or online) with Tom Canterbury on the call.

Series history: Alabama leads, 33-10
In Tuscaloosa: 19-2 | In Columbia: 14-7 | At Neutral Sites: 0-1

Last meeting: South Carolina eliminated Alabama from the SEC tournament in Athens, Georgia last season with a 6-2 victory over the Crimson Tide. Alabama scored two runs in the first inning, including a leadoff home run by Audrey Vandagriff, before the Gamecocks reeled off six unanswered.

Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide lost to Tennessee, 4-1, in the series finale on Monday. Alabama was on the verge of being shut out for the second straight game before a pinch hit home run by Mari Hubbard in the seventh inning.

Last time out, South Carolina: The Gamecocks run ruled South Carolina State, 9-1, in six innings on Tuesday night for their final non-conference game in the regular season.