As Pruitt was cutting his play-calling teeth, word floated through the state newly-hired Alabama coach Nick Saban was looking for some help in the high school ranks in 2007. On-the-field jobs were not available, but the door was open for a spot on Saban's support staff.
Pruitt pursued the opportunity, snagged a spot as director of player development and made sure to get noticed in the office. Football was and is his life. "He doesn't hunt or fish, and he's not a very good golfer," Dale Pruitt says.
He arrived early, stayed late and was elevated to an on-the-field job as the defensive backs coach in January 2009.
He sat in the press box on game days for three seasons and communicated with Saban and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart as they developed top-ranked defenses and three national championship teams.
"When Kirby was talking on the headsets most of his conversations were with Jeremy," Propst said. "Jeremy was Kirby and coach Saban's eyes in the sky."
Pruitt coached several first-round NFL draft picks during his three years as a full-time assistant. He primarily coached the safeties, and was known across the country as one of the best recruiters on Saban's staff. He was named the top recruiter in the country by 247sports.com in 2012.
Pruitt deflects the credit, of course, and in Little Rock tells the crowd as much. "Everybody in the country knows who the DBs coach is and that's Nick Saban," Pruitt said Dec. 11. "Everybody knows that and I'm not ashamed to say it, he is the DBs coach. Everybody knows it. All you've got to do is run the film."
