Freddie Roach - Football Coach

Freddie Roach

Title:
Associate Head Coach/Defensive Line
Phone:
205-963-5700

Personal Information

Hometown: Florence, Ala.
Education: Alabama, 2008
Spouse: Ashley
Children: Mattie, Addison, Alexandria, Freddie III
Birthday: June 3

Coaching Experience

2024 - present: Alabama, AHC/DL
2020-23: Alabama, DL
2017-19: Ole Miss, DL
2015-16: Alabama, Director, Player Development
2013-14: South Alabama, LB/DE
2012: Murray State, DL
2011: East Mississippi C.C., DL/S&C
2008-10: Alabama, S&C

Playing Experience

2006: New England Patriots
2002-05: Alabama

Freddie Roach stayed in Tuscaloosa to direct the Crimson Tide's defensive line under head coach Kalen DeBoer in 2024 while adding the responsibility of associate head coach. Prior to the '24 campaign, Roach spent four seasons in charge of Alabama's defensive line and is in now in his 10th season overall as a member of the UA staff.

Alabama - Associate Head Coach/Defensive Line (2024-Present) | Defensive Line (2020-23)

The defensive line played a key role in helping the 2025 team finish with 86 tackles for loss, the most by a Crimson Tide defense since 2022
LT Overton and Tim Keenan III were each forced to miss time due to injury but still managed to make a significant impact in their final season at the Capstone
Overton played in 13 games and led the line with 42 tackles, including six for loss and four sacks
A permanent team captain, Keenan III missed the first three games but still contributed 16 tackles, including three for loss and two sacks, to go with a pair of key fumble recoveries and one forced fumble
London Simmons also emerged as a playmaker for the '25 group, earning Freshman All-SEC Team honors at season's end
Simmons played in all 15 games with two starts and registered 19 tackles, including 1.5 sacks, to go with a pair of quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery
Roach's line provided a steady presence on the defensive side of the ball in 2024, with veterans Keenan III, Tim Smith and Jah-Marien Latham pairing with Overton to produce solid results
Keenan III posted a standout year, totaling 40 stops, including 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks - all career-high marks - to go with a pair of quarterback hurries and one pass breakup
Smith and Latham each set career-high totals for tackles while Overton paced the group with 42 tackles and a team-leading nine quarterback hurries
Alabama's 2023 defensive line was one of the deepest, smartest and most effective in recent years with Justin Eboigbe leading the way, totaling 64 tackles, including 11.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks
Keenan III manned the middle in '23, adding 38 tackles and seven quarterback hurries, while Smith was equally effective with 31 tackles
The line's output up front helped Alabama finish 14th nationally in sacks (2.79) and 18th in total defense (316.0 ypg) at season's end
The 2022 defensive line helped the Crimson Tide rank ninth in scoring defense (18.2 ppg), 13th in total defense (318.2 ypg) and 22nd in tackles for loss (6.9 ppg)
Senior Byron Young headlined the group with 48 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and four sacks, while Smith made 20 stops and DJ Dale added 2.5 sacks
Roach's defensive line turned in an outstanding season in 2021 that saw the unit finish fourth nationally against the rush after allowing just 86.0 yards per game, part of a Tide unit that was seventh in total defense at 304.1 yards per game
Redshirt senior Phidarian Mathis posted a dominant effort that included 53 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and nine sacks
Mathis was joined by Young, who contributed 40 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss, while Smith recorded 24 tackles to go with Eboigbe and Dale, who each had 19 tackles apiece
In 2020, Roach inherited a young defensive front that steadily developed during the Crimson Tide's march to an undefeated national championship season
Redshirt sophomore Christian Barmore led the team and was second in the Southeastern Conference with eight sacks while recording 37 tackles to pace all linemen
Barmore was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player of the College Football Playoff National Championship with five tackles, including two key sacks, and was eventually selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots
Mathis also stepped up along the defensive front in '20, finishing with 31 tackles, including five for loss, to go with three pass breakups and three quarterback hurries, while Young added 6.5 tackles for loss, Dale totaled 22 stops and Eboigbe had 19

Ole Miss - Defensive Line (2017-19)

Spent the 2017-19 seasons at Ole Miss where he coached the Rebels' defensive line
Roach's 2019 corps was led by nose tackle Benito Jones and defensive end Josiah Coatney, with Jones recording 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks while Coatney added 46 total tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, to go with four quarterback hurries
In 2018, Coatney (63) and Qaadir Sheppard (48) combined for 111 tackles and three forced fumbles, highlighted by Sheppard's season-high 10 tackles for loss
During his first season in Oxford, Roach developed a pair of NFL Draft picks in Breeland Speaks (2nd round) and Marquis Haynes (4th round), with the pair combining for 14.5 sacks on the way to second team All-SEC accolades
Haynes eventually finished as Ole Miss' career leader in sacks (32.0) and tackles for loss (47.5)

Alabama - Director of Player Development (2015-16)

Served as Alabama's director of player development from 2015-16
Roach's primary focus was the off-the-field activities of Crimson Tide's football student-athletes, serving as a resource in balancing the demands of academics, athletics and community outreach
He also worked as a liaison for high school coaches while assisting with Alabama camps and clinics
During his time in Tuscaloosa, Alabama won back-to-back SEC titles and played for the national championship both years, winning the crown in 2015

South Alabama - Linebackers/Defensive Ends (2013-14)

Worked with linebackers and defensive ends at South Alabama from 2013-14
His units contributed to the Jaguars' 2014 group that finished second in the Sun Belt in total defense
Helped USA end the 2013 season ranked third nationally in sacks per game and 21st in tackles for loss per contest in addition to finishing second in the SBC in pass, total and scoring defense

Additional Coaching Experience

Directed Murray State's defensive line while also assisting with the strength and conditioning program in 2012
The previous fall, he coached the defensive line and was the director of strength and conditioning at East Mississippi Community College, helping lead the Lions to the 2011 NJCAA National Championship
Roach's initial return to the Alabama staff came from 2008-10 as an assistant strength and conditioning coach
During his original stint at his alma mater, the Crimson Tide won both the BCS national championship and SEC title in 2009

Playing Career

Graduated from The University of Alabama with a degree in human environmental sciences in 2008
As a player, Roach was a four-year letterman at linebacker for the Crimson Tide from 2002-05
While at the Capstone, he was named the National Freshman of the Year in addition to earning Freshman All-America accolades and was twice tabbed as a second team All-SEC honoree
He was also named to Alabama's All-Decade Team for the 2000s
Following his time at UA, Roach signed as a free agent with the Patriots in 2006
A native of Killen, Ala., he made 194 tackles with 23 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles as a senior at Brook High School