Mahoney is out as offensive line coach per Hubbs. Edit: apparently there will be no search for a replacement. Walt Wells has been promoted from Quality Control to OL coach.
These hires really tell the tale. Shoop brings in highly regarded assistants. Butch can't find anybody left in his buddy group so he just promotes from within.
And not 4.5 years too late. This "BSA" in America is disintegrating, and now Butch is turning to guys who couldn't even beat those schleps out.
On an unrelated note, I read earlier that Chip Kelly and Helfrich are each legit contenders for the Bama OC gig. And therein lies the difference.
Have a hard time believing Kelly would work for Saban. Just can't see him letting Saban stand there and verbally assault him like Saban would Kiffin. Although maybe it wouldn't be like that
Kiffin put up with it because he needed to - almost had to. Sark didn't. By almost every personal account I've heard, the guy is an unbearable ass. I wouldn't hang around.
So looking at Walt Wells, he still seems relatively young, but has been coaching for around 20 years. He's never really gotten to bigger program like Tennessee, but until just recently he's always been a true assistant coach, not an uncredited quality control type. So I'm thinking he is in that position as a result of him having no real asstiant gig options. He most likely would accept any such gig if presented, but most likely Butch was the only offer. Pretty much another guy no one else would offer. Also keep in mind that he has been an OL coach for many years prior, so as a quality control guy he was most certainly asked for help In producing this recent OL slop.
There seems to be no substitute for the curative effect of a stint on Saban's staff, for a coach who requires redemption.