TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Doug Nussmeier gives Alabama another high-energy offensive coordinator from the West Coast with NFL experience.

His task, like predecessor Jim McElwain, is more about executing the philosophy than changing it.

The Crimson Tide’s offensive chief and former Idaho Vandal star quarterback is making a positive impression leading up to his first season.

“We really like him,” center Barrett Jones said. “I think he’s a great fit for what we have going on here. What I like is he really hasn’t come in and tried to change everything.

“He has added some things to our offense, but I don’t think he’s going to want to change the things we do well and try to mess up the good things we have going. I think he just wants to come in and add to that.”

In other words, it will still be Alabama’s offense taking the field Sept. 1 against Michigan.

“There won’t be any confusion there,” Jones said.

Nussmeier, a former NFL quarterbacks coach and Fresno State offensive coordinator, replaced McElwain, who was also a former NFL quarterbacks coach and Fresno State offensive coordinator, in January. McElwain took over Colorado State’s program after the BCS national championship game win over LSU.

“Coach Nuss” has been a hit with the players so far. He spent the past three seasons in the same job at Washington, where Steve Sarkisian was the offensive play caller.

Alabama coach Nick Saban doesn’t seem concerned with the fact that Nussmeier wasn’t the primary play caller at Washington after one season as Fresno State’s coordinator.

“He has called plays in circumstances and situations here with us, whether it was a scrimmage or an A-Day game or whatever,” Saban said. “He’s a very bright guy with a lot of positive energy. He has a lot of good ideas that we’ve implemented into our offense.”

“The players respond well to him, the players like him. I’m really excited to have him. He’s a very good recruiter, he really fits in well with the other coaches on the staff. There’s a lot of positives there, but I can’t predict what I don’t know.”

AP

08/06/12 14:14