Leroy Ryals Finishes Sabans Staff

In addition, Saban announced that Bobby Williams will serve as associate head coach for the Tigers and will coach the wide receivers, while Derek Dooley has been promoted to assistant head coach and will continue to coach running backs and special teams.

Saban also said that Travis Jones would add the duty of recruiting coordinator to his title. Jones also coaches the Tiger defensive line.

Ryals, who will also serve as assistant special teams coach, has spent the last four years as running backs coach at South Florida. Ryals is a 1996 business education graduate of South Florida. He earned his master's degree in school counseling from Florida in 2001.

"I'm very excited to join the staff at LSU," Ryals said. "I've known Coach Saban for several years and I've always admired and respected the things that he's been able to accomplish as a football coach."

At South Florida, Ryals helped the Bulls to four consecutive winning seasons, including a 9-2 mark in 2002. Prior to his four years at South Florida, Ryals served as head coach at Booker High School in Sarasota, Fla., from 1994-99. In addition to his head football coaching duties, Ryals served as the athletic director at Booker High School for four years from 1997-99 before joining the staff at South Florida.

"I've known Leroy for a long time, going back to when I recruited some of his players while he was a high school coach," Saban said. "He's a person of outstanding character who is also a very good football coach and we're excited to have him join our staff."

The Leroy Ryals File

Name: Leroy Ryals

Birthdate: March 2, 1970

Hometown: Sarasota, Fla.

Wife: Keisha

Children: TaQuesha (13), Anika (2)

High School: Booker (Sarasota, Fla.)

College: South Florida, '96

Post-Graduate: Florida, '01

Coaching Experience

1990-93 Booker High School (assistant coach)

1994-99 Booker High School (head coach)

2000-03 South Florida (running backs coach)

2004 LSU (tight ends coach)