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Alabama expected to hire Richard Owens as its tight ends coach

1918632_10206777287683070_1367905321192383146_nby: Charlie Potter02/12/26Charlie_Potter

Alabama is expected to hire Richard Owens as its next tight ends coach, sources confirmed to BamaOnLine. Owens will fill the role left vacant by Bryan Ellis, now coaching quarterbacks.

Matt Zenitz of 247Sports first reported the news.

Owens, 45, spent the past three seasons at Louisville as the Cardinals’ offensive line coach. But he has past experience coaching tight ends and played the position at both the college and NFL levels. Owens led the tight end rooms at three different colleges — UAB (2012, 2014), South Alabama (2015) and Louisville (2018) — and now he will coach Alabama’s tight ends.

At Louisville, Owens’ offensive lines helped the Cardinals rank among the top five in the ACC in rushing offense each of his three years with the team. Louisville’s offensive line also allowed an average of 24 sacks per year under Owens’ guidance. The Cards finished the 2024 season with only 15 sacks allowed in 13 games, which ranked third among the 17 ACC programs.

Owens also coached the offensive lines at Georgia Southern (2022) and UAB (2019-21). He also served as the run game coordinator of the Eagles in 2022. Other non-tight ends coaching jobs that Owens has held include stops at South Alabama (OL coach in 2016-17) and UAB (OC, WR coach in 2013). He got his start at Arkansas in 2010 as a graduate assistant.

In 2018, Owens coached the tight ends at his alma mater, Louisville, and he also served as the director of on-campus recruiting that season. At UAB, Owens coached tight ends in 2012, and in 2013, he was named the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. In 2014, Bill Clark’s first year with the Blazers, Owens moved back to coach the tight ends in Birmingham.

The Middleburg, Fla, native was a three-starter for the Cardinals from 2000-03 and compiled 36 catches for 371 yards and seven touchdowns. He was an undrafted free agent in 2004, but he signed with the Minnesota Vikings and spent three years with the franchise. Owens joined the then-St. Louis Rams in 2007 and then the New York Jets in 2009 before he retired.

The latest addition to Kalen DeBoer’s coaching staff in Tuscaloosa has experience with some of his new co-workers. He previously coached with Ellis at UAB (2012-13) and Georgia Southern (2022), as well as defensive coordinator Kane Wommack at South Alabama (2016-17).

Owens is the third assistant to join DeBoer’s coaching staff at Alabama. Derrick Nix and Adrian Klemm were also brought in to lead UA’s wide receivers and offensive linemen, respectively.  

*** This story will be updated.

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