A week after opening the position, Alabama found a new running back trainer.
Crimson Tide must hire North Carolina running back coach Robert Gillespie to fill the same role at Tuscaloosa, BamaOnLine discovered. Yahoo! Sports first reported the location.
In Alabama, Gillespie will replace Charles Huff, who has spent the past two seasons with Tide. Huff was officially hired as Marshall Thundering Herd’s head coach last Sunday.
A former Florida player between 1998-2001, Gillespie has spent the last 15 years training his position at the Power 5 level. He has spent the last three seasons in North Carolina and, last year, trained two 1,000-yard rushers on Michael Carter and Javonte Williams.
Gillespie was in Tennessee five seasons before that, working with Butch Jones, and coached players in Knoxville as former UA striker Alvin Kamara. He also served as a running back trainer in West Virginia (2011-12), Oklahoma State (2009-10) and South Carolina (2006-08). Gillespie started training as a graduate assistant in South Carolina in 2005.
Born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Gillespie ran 1,854 yards during his four-year career in Florida. He finished his high school career in second place for the Gators in receptions (96) and yards received (1,091) for a running back. Gillespie served as captain of the 2001 team, helping to lead the Gators in the Orange Bowl’s 56-23 victory over Maryland.
Despite losing holder Najee Harris to the 2021 NFL Draft, Alabama will have one of the SEC’s best running back rooms during the 2021 season. Brian Robinson senior is returning for a fifth season and will lead a position room with young players talented like Trey Sanders, Jase McClellan, Roydell Williams, Keilan Robinson and Kyle Edwards.
*** This story will be updated.
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