Glen Coffee once again making impact at Alabama

Duane Rankin | Montgomery Advertiser

Show Caption Hide Caption Former Tide RB Glen Coffee molding men at Alabama Glen Coffee, who played for Nick Saban at Alabama, talks about his role on Saban's staff.

Glen Coffee is once again leaving his mark at Alabama.

This time, it’s off the field.

The former Crimson Tide star who ran for 1,383 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final year in 2008 is now on Alabama's staff helping with recruiting and player development after volunteering as a student assistant last season.

“I like it,” said Coffee at an Alabama Fellowship of Christian Athletes golf outing Monday at Wynlakes Golf and Country Club. “It’s something that I’ll hold dear the rest of my life because when you’re that age, you don’t realize you’re still a kid. You think, ‘Oh, I’m 18 and above. I’m 20. I’m grown.'”

Coffee shakes his head before continuing as he realizes adulthood isn’t based solely on age.

“As a 31-year old being around them, it’s kind of like, I’m trying to tell them that they’re young without telling them that they're young,” Coffee continued. “I’m a guy who’s been there, seen that and done that. I can kind of steer them in the right path so you don’t make the same mistakes I made."

Coffee’s story is well-0documented.

He left Alabama after his junior season and played one season in the NFL before leaving the game.

Lost his love for football, he revealed in 2015.

Hindsight 20/20, Coffee wishes he’d stayed his senior year in 2009 when the Tide won its first national title under Nick Saban and then chose to do something else, but said he wouldn’t change anything.

“Spent another year with my friends, graduate and then move on to whatever it was I wanted to do,” he said. “But I learned the most in life from my mistakes and failures than I did my successes.”

Coffee admitted he was focused on the destination and didn't enjoy the process to it.

“It took me leaving Alabama early, going into the league, quitting the league after a year and to experience life after that for God to mold me into the man I am today,” said Coffee, who rushed for 226 yards and a touchdown in one and only NFL in 2009 with the San Francisco 49ers.

Coffee joined the Army, served as a specialist in the infantry for nearly four years, but came out of retirement to give football another try. He went back to the 49ers, who drafted Coffee in the third round in 2009, but they waived him in his comeback last year.

Coffee then returned to Tuscaloosa. Got back involved with the Tide while earning his degree and is now “molding men” at Alabama in his role on the staff.

“We’re letting the recruit know we want him, but at the same time ask him what he wants looks for in life,” Coffee said. “What he looks for in a school. Not telling him Alabama will be the best fit for him if I really don’t believe that.”

Comfort, Coffee says, is what really attracts a recruit to a school, not necessarily what it can provide.

“On the surface, somebody might say I want this, I want that, but really deep down, everybody just wants to be loved,” Coffee said. “I try to share that and give that to recruits and the same thing with the players.”

Crimson Tide FCA Director loves 'son' Glen Coffee Alabama Crimson Tide's Fellowship of Christian Athletes director Gary Cramer talks about his fondness for former Tide running back Glen Coffee at an FCA luncheon/golf outing Monday at Wynlakes Golf and Country Club in Montgomery.

Having Coffee on Alabama’s staff is a blessing. Coffee’s story is relatable, has a spiritual foundation and can help Tide players see there is more to life than just football at a program that is all about football.

“We have a plan, but God has a different plan,” he said. “Our plans don’t always align with his. If you’re meant to be in the NFL and you’re meant to make millions of dollars, then that’s going to happen. Sticking around another year isn’t going to change that.”

Coffee doesn’t rule out coaching in the future, but that’s not part of his five-year plan.

First and foremost, he wants to “get back around” in the life of his 8-year old daughter, Ava, who is back in his home state of Florida.

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Second, box.

Yep. Gloves. Trunks.

“When I quit the league, when I quit the NFL, I wanted something that would kind of force me to stay in shape,” Coffee said. “I love working out, but sometimes it gets boring. So, I walked in to a boxing gym just for cardio purposes, and I fell in love with the sport as a whole.”

Coffee's five-year plan involves, family, boxing and farm life Former Alabama running back Glen Coffee, who played in the NFL, talked about his five-year plan in which he wants to strength the relationship with his daughter, Ava, try boxing and establish a farm.

Third, Coffee wants to start a “small, self-sustaining, organic” farm.

Living in Cali while playing for the 49ers is peaking that interest for him.

“California is a very health conscious state,” he said. “That’s what got the wheels turning there.”

The potential farm life ties health, his passion for ministry and his daughter together.

“God intended us to eat his food,” Coffee said. “How do I eat his food instead of this process food we eat today. Instead of eating a cow that’s eating corn his whole life when cows weren’t created to eat corn. I want to be able to tell my daughter go grab some eggs out of the chicken coop.”

Right now, Coffee’s helping Alabama with more than just recruiting and player development.

He’s telling and showing Tide players how to become men of faith.

“He’s a good dad, he’s a good man,” said Tide’s FCA director, Gary Cramer. “He’s a great guy to have around our athletes at the University of Alabama.”