Alabama head coach Nick Saban has made preliminary contact with former Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt about returning to the defensive coordinator role, according to CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd.

Pruitt was the Crimson Tide's defensive coordinator for two seasons before leaving to coach the Vols in December 2017.

Alabama is looking to replace Pete Golding, who accepted the same position at Ole Miss this month.

Dodd reported Pruitt "would face long odds" of actually getting hired by Alabama because of the circumstances surrounding his departure from Tennessee.

Last July, the NCAA charged the program with 18 Level I violations, including impermissible benefits that allegedly occurred during Pruitt's watch. The school fired him for cause in January 2021 after conducting its own investigation into possible recruiting violations.

Dodd noted Pruitt wouldn't be prohibited from joining Alabama's staff but that SEC rules stipulate the commissioner has to be consulted on the hiring of a coach tied to NCAA infractions.

Hugh Freeze's misconduct at Ole Miss didn't stop him from getting the Auburn head coaching job in November. ESPN's Chris Low reported, however, the SEC did in 2018 provide "a stern reminder of the conditions and restrictions related to Freeze if an SEC school had chosen to hire him at that point."

Leaving aside the NCAA allegations, few Vols fans will remember Pruitt's three-year tenure fondly. He compiled a 16-19 record and delivered one bowl appearance, a Gator Bowl victory over Indiana in 2019.

The 48-year-old is an experienced defensive coach, though, having also served as DC for Florida State and Georgia and a defensive backs coach for Alabama. He was generally considered a good recruiter as well.

Pruitt's resume and his existing rapport with Saban make him a natural candidate in the search for a new lead assistant on defense. The timing might be the biggest hurdle, though.