Sources: Alabama co-DC Hitschler will not return

Alabama co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Colin Hitschler has been informed he will not return to the Crimson Tide next year, sources told ESPN.

Hitschler's departure comes with a year remaining on his initial two-year contract. The first major staff change by Kalen DeBoer at the conclusion of his first season at Alabama comes in the wake of an uneven 9-4 season that was punctuated with a ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan.

Hitschler primarily worked with the safeties at Alabama, the position group he'd had significant experience with at earlier stops in his career.

Alabama's defense finished with the country's No. 9 total defense in 2024 and No. 19 passing defense.

The safety position that Hitschler coached proved to be one of the more dynamic in the program, as both Bray Hubbard and Malachi Moore were responsible for forcing a combined eight turnovers. Michigan transfer Keon Sabb also had a strong season before a season-ending injury on Oct. 21.

Hitschler is a veteran coach who worked on the Cincinnati staff that reached the College Football Playoff in 2021. He was promoted to co-defensive coordinator there in 2022. He worked under head coach Luke Fickell and spent part of his time under then-defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman.

He spent a season as the co-defensive coordinator at Wisconsin in 2023 before reuniting with Kane Wommack at Alabama. He'd worked for Wommack earlier in his career at South Alabama when Wommack served as the defensive coordinator there.

Hitschler is a University of Pennsylvania graduate who started his college career at Salve Regina under current James Madison coach Bob Chesney.