Alabama Reportedly Losing 'Kicking Whisperer' From Coaching Staff
By Michael Luciano
Apparently, Alabama's assistant special teams coach last year was a "kicking whisperer." You wouldn't have known that watching the Tide continue to shank field goals.
Somehow, Bill Belichick has identified Houston as his ideal replacement for Joe Judge, now the head coach of the New York Giants. Houston has officially left Alabama and will serve as New England's assistant special teams coach.
Alabama reportedly losing staffer Joe Houston, aka the ‘kicking whisperer’ https://t.co/qg3m91aP80
— SEC Football News (@SECfootball) February 21, 2020
Houston was a placekicker at USC before he got into coaching. He joined Alabama in 2019 after serving as an assistant at Iowa State the year prior.
Houston's whispering might have needed to be shouted, because Alabama didn't seem to get much better under his direction. Kickers Joseph Bulovas and Will Reichard missed nine total kicks last season, with Bulovas botching a 30-yard chip shot against Auburn that would have tied up the Iron Bowl late.
Belichick has been known to frequently poach assistants and players from his good buddy Saban, and Houston appears to be Patriots coach's ideal man to replace Judge.
The #Patriots are reportedly hiring former USC kicker and Alabama special teams analyst Joe Houston. https://t.co/gw6XcLnGZq
— Pats Pulpit (@patspulpit) February 21, 2020
If Stephen Gostkowski misses a 30-yarder by kicking it 200 miles per hour into the left upright, look no further than Houston for the explanation as to why.