Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama Assistant Jeremy Pruitt a Broyles Award Finalist

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Pruitt is in his first year as Alabama football defensive coordinator and oversees a Tide unit that leads the nation in scoring defense, rushing defense, three-and-outs and defensive touchdowns.

Alabama football defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach Jeremy Pruitt  has been named one of five finalists for the 2016 Frank Broyles Assistant Coach of the Year Award, the Frank and Barbara Broyles Foundation announced on Monday.

The Broyles Award honors college football’s top assistant coach.

Pruitt is in his first year as Alabama’s defensive coordinator and oversees a Tide unit that leads the nation in scoring defense (11.4 points per game), rushing defense (68.7 yards per game), three-and-outs (6.17 three-and-outs per game) and defensive touchdowns (9).

The Alabama defense has also not allowed a touchdown in its last four games and has not allowed an opponent to run a play inside its 10-yard line in the last 18 quarters of play.

The finalist selection is the second for Pruitt. He was previously a candidate for the honor in 2013 when he was the defensive coordinator at Florida State. Former Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart currently stands as the only Alabama assistant to win the award, which he won in 2009.

The 2016 Broyles Award winner will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 6 in Little Rock, Ark.

Pruitt’s Alabama defense is pitted against Florida on Saturday in the SEC Championship Game (4 pm ET, CBS). It is the 40th time the two teams have played, with the Crimson Tide owning the all-time advantage, 25-14 (26-14 actual). In the most recent matchup at the 2015 SEC Championship Game, Alabama came away with a 29-15 victory over Florida. Derrick Henry rushed for 189 yards and a touchdown on his way to MVP honors while Jake Coker threw for 204 yards and two scores.

The two teams will meet for the ninth time in SEC Championship Game history and the fourth time in the past 11 years. The Crimson Tide (11) and Gators (12) lead the league for most conference championship game appearances and have squared off the most of any opponent with the next closest matchup being LSU and Georgia, who have met three times in the history of the SEC title game.

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