No that headline is not a misplaced piece from May of 2003, Sylvester Croom has apparently emerged as a candidate for the staff opening at Alabama. Per the Tuscaloosa News:
St. Louis Rams running backs coach Sylvester Croom has emerged as a candidate for the coaching vacancy on the UA staff, and could be interviewing for the position in the coming days, perhaps as early as this weekend, multiple sources familiar with the situation have told The Tuscaloosa News.
Croom, a former UA offensive lineman who later became the Southeastern Conference's first African-American head football coach at Mississippi State, would not confirm his candidacy when reached by cell phone.
"I will not comment on that," Croom said.
Asked if he was in Tuscaloosa Saturday, Croom again declined comment.
After we passed him over for Mike Shula, Croom was obviously a bitter man for the next few years, but late in his tenure in Starkville it seemed that he had moved past that. I wouldn't have any reservations whatsoever bringing him on board as an assistant, and frankly I think it'd be a pretty solid move. It's infinitely better than having to stomach Tee Martin in crimson, he's got a long background in the NFL, extensive ties to the state of Alabama, head coaching experience in the SEC, his players have always played hard for him, and he would probably recruit very well.
The only issue with Croom would be that his entire background as a position coach comes as being a running backs coach. He's never coached wide receivers before, and I'm not sure he would at Alabama either. If Croom does come on board, I imagine that will necessitate a re-shuffling of the staff. In such a scenario, I imagine that would have Bobby Williams going to coach wide receivers, with Croom taking over tight ends.
Update: Even if Croom is not ultimately the hire in Tuscaloosa, it sounds like you can officially cross Tee Martin off the list of potential candidates. Per the Louisville Courier-Journal:
Tee Martin will return to the University of Kentucky football coaching staff with a contract extension and a new title.
Martin, who joined Joker Phillips' staff last year, will go from wide receivers coach to passing game coordinator and has received a contract extension, Phillips announced Saturday.
Thank God. To be sure, I don't have any issues with Martin's resume or his recruiting ability, but he was a pay-for-play guy in his own right at Tennessee, and the mere thought of Tee Martin wearing crimson on a 'Bama sideline makes me want to vomit. No use mincing words, as a 'Bama alum dealing with someone like Tee Martin makes you feel lower than a cheap whore; that's the kind of stench you can't wash off with a hot shower and a bar of Dial antibacterial soap. Consider me relieved that feeling was averted.