GULF SHORES, Ala. - University of Alabama Director of Player Personnel Kevin Steele will be the guest speaker for the Sept. 9 meeting of the Gulf Coast Athletic Club at Craft Farms.

Steele returned to Alabama as the Crimson Tide’s Director of Player Personnel in February of 2013. Steele, who spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons on head coach Nick Saban’s defensive staff at Alabama, is back following three years as Clemson’s defensive coordinator (2009-11).

At Alabama, Steele’s main charge is to direct the recruiting efforts for the Crimson Tide. He also will assist with camps, clinics and other football related events.

Steele directed Clemson’s defense from 2009-2011 and helped the Tigers win the 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship.

His 2010 defense led the ACC and ranked 13th nationally

During a two-year stint as the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator from 2007-08, Steele and Saban turned Alabama’s defense into one of the best in the nation.

The 2008 defensive unit ranked second in rushing defense, while tying for third in total defense.

Steele worked at Florida State under head coach Bobby Bowden for four seasons (2003-06). He was named executive head coach for the Seminoles in 2005, as Steele earned a reputation as an outstanding recruiter.

Steele was the head coach at Baylor from 1999- 2002 before moving to Florida State. He coached the linebackers for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers

from 1995-98 before taking the head coaching job at Baylor. He earlier had assistant coaching stints at Nebraska (1989-94), Tennessee (1987-88), Oklahoma State (1984-86) and New Mexico State (1983).

As a player at Tennessee, Steele was a member of Johnny Majors’ 1978 and 1979 squads. He an assistant coach in 1980 and 1981. Steele was promoted to outside linebackers coach in 1982.

He then moved to New Mexico State, where he served as recruiting coordinator and linebackers coach in 1983.

From 1984-86, he coached linebackers and tight ends at Oklahoma State. He returned to his alma mater in 1987 and spent two years as the defensive backs coach for the Volunteers.

From 1989-94, Steele coached the linebackers under Nebraska legend Tom Osborne. During his six years in Lincoln, the Cornhuskers went 60-11, appeared in six bowl games, won four conference championships and captured the 1994 national championship with a 13-0 record.

In 1995, Steele made the jump to the NFL as the linebackers coach at Carolina. Under head coach Dom Capers, the Panthers reached the NFC Championship game in their second season (1996).

After four years with Carolina, Steele was hired as head coach at Baylor in 1999.

The Dillon, S.C., native is a 1981 graduate of the University of Tennessee. Steele and his wife Linda have one son Gordon and one daughter Caroline.

TO GO: Contact GCAC President John McCormick at mccormick436@centurytel.net or 251-967-4237 to confirm your attendance.

GCAC SPEAKERS SCHEDULE: Aug. 26 Danny Sheridan, Sept. 9 Kevin Steele, Sept. 23 Eli Gold, Oct. 7 Scott Moore, Oct. 21 Steve Shaw, Nov. 4 Ken Meyer, Nov. 18 Rhett Lashlee, Jan. 20 TBA.