The Oregon Ducks' coaching tree just keeps branching out - and it’s reaching powerhouse programs across the country. The latest move? Adrian Klemm, a former Ducks assistant with deep NFL and college experience, is heading to Tuscaloosa to join Alabama as their next offensive line coach.
Klemm’s coaching journey has been anything but linear, and that’s what makes this hire so intriguing for the Crimson Tide. He was one of Dan Lanning’s first staff additions at Oregon, brought in to anchor the offensive line during Lanning’s debut season in Eugene.
Klemm’s time with the Ducks was brief - just one season - but it was impactful enough to launch him back into the NFL with the New England Patriots. Most recently, he was back on the college sidelines with USC during the 2025 season.
Before he ever picked up a whistle, Klemm had a decorated playing career. He spent eight years in the NFL and was part of three Super Bowl-winning teams with the Patriots. He also logged time with the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders, building a résumé that gives him instant credibility in any locker room.
Once his playing days wrapped, Klemm started carving out his path in coaching. He began at SMU, then made a name for himself at UCLA, where he developed a reputation as a strong recruiter and technician.
That work led him to the NFL again, this time as the offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He spent three seasons in Pittsburgh before returning to the college game under Lanning at Oregon.
Now, he brings that wealth of experience - from Super Bowl Sundays to Pac-12 Saturdays - to Alabama, where he’ll work under head coach Kalen DeBoer. For the Tide, this is more than just a coaching hire. It’s a strategic move to bolster the trenches with a coach who’s seen the game from every angle: player, recruiter, technician, and motivator.
Klemm’s arrival also continues a trend of former Oregon assistants landing high-profile gigs. Tosh Lupoi is now the head coach at Cal, and Will Stein has taken the reins at Kentucky. It’s a testament to the caliber of coaching talent that’s come through Eugene in recent years - and a sign that Lanning’s influence is spreading far beyond the Pacific Northwest.
For Alabama, this is a calculated addition - a coach who knows how to develop linemen at the highest level and understands what it takes to win. For Klemm, it’s another chapter in a career that’s already spanned championship locker rooms, NFL sidelines, and some of college football’s biggest brands. And for fans of trench warfare, it’s a move worth watching closely.