re: Official Alabama assistant coaching search thread: staff complete Edition

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Alabama has hired a new director of player personnel.

Former Tennessee director of player personnel Bob Welton has been hired at UA for the same position, BamaOnLine has learned. BOL reported Thursday night that Welton had interviewed and emerged as a candidate for the position on the Crimson Tide’s staff.

Welton was in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Monday and a part of Alabama’s meetings.

Welton fills the vacancy left by Jody Wright, who recently chose to return to UAB in order to be the Blazers’ offensive line coach, assistant coach and run game coordinator.

Welton joined Tennessee’s football program in 2013 under previous head coach Butch Jones and led the Vols’ recruiting office the last five years. He initially stayed on staff after the hiring of Jeremy Pruitt and dismissal of Jones but left Tennessee for a director of recruiting operations position at Nebraska after National Signing Signing Day in February.

Jones is in Tuscaloosa as an analyst on Nick Saban’s staff, the 12th-year Alabama coach made official March 20 in spring practice, and Welton now rejoins his former boss.

Prior to Knoxville, Welton served as a college scout with the Cleveland Browns from 2004-13. Before joining the Browns, he served seven years as a high school football coach -- six seasons at South Haven (Mich.) High School and one at Coloma (Mich.) High School where he guided the team to its first undefeated season and playoff win in school history.

Welton also served as head track coach at South Haven, where he helped rebuild the school’s football stadium, from 2001 until his departure. He taught physical education at the school from 1997 until 2003, when he began teaching special education. He also has coached baseball and served as an assistant varsity football coach at Adrian (Mich.) High School from 1990-96.

Born in Toledo, Ohio, and raised in Luna Pier, Mich., Welton attended Erie-Mason High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education/health from Adrian (Mich.) College in 1991, where he played quarterback and was part of two MIAA championship teams. Welton did his post-graduate work at Eastern Michigan University and Grand Valley State University.

Wright’s responsibilities with the Crimson Tide included the organization of all of the football team’s recruiting efforts. Wright also worked with compliance regarding initial eligibility and assists with coaching clinics, camps and other on-campus events.

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Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced the hiring of Bob Welton to serve as the Crimson Tide’s director of player personnel on Tuesday morning.

“We are excited to add Bob Welton to our staff as the director of player personnel,” Saban said in a release. “Bob has a lot of experience in this role and a reputation for being very organized and an excellent talent evaluator. He has worked at all levels of football, serving as an NFL scout, a player personnel director at the college level and a head coach in high school. Bob is a great fit for this role, and we are happy to welcome Bob, his wife Laura and their children to the Crimson Tide program.”

BamaOnLine reported Welton was in Tuscaloosa, Ala., last week, taking part in meetings.

Welton comes to Alabama after a brief stint as Nebraska’s director of recruiting operations during the spring of 2018. Prior to that, he served as the director of player personnel at Tennessee for five seasons (2013-17).

As the Crimson Tide’s director of player personnel, Welton will be responsible for the organization of all recruiting efforts. He will also work with compliance regarding initial eligibility and assist with coaching clinics, camps and other on-campus events.

At Tennessee, Welton helped the Vols put together five top 25 recruiting classes, including two top-10 classes according to 247Sports.com (No. 7 in 2014 & No. 4 in 2015).

“I am very appreciative for the opportunity to work for Coach Saban and the Alabama football program,” Welton said in a release. “Alabama has been the standard for program excellence in college football for a long time. I am excited and humbled to be part of it, and I look forward to doing my part to continue the tradition of success.”

A nine-year veteran of the NFL, Welton served as a college scout with the Browns from 2004-13 before moving on to Knoxville. Prior to joining the Browns, he spent seven years as a high school football coach. He led South Haven (Mich.) High School for six years and Coloma (Mich.) High School for one season, where he guided the team to an undefeated season.

Welton earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education/health at Adrian (Mich.) College in 1991, where he played quarterback and was part of two MIAA championship teams. A native of Luna Pier, Mich., Welton and his wife Laura, have a son, Tye, and a daughter, Brooke.

All such employment contracts are subject to approval by The University of Alabama Board of Trustees.

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