LSU Football: Alabama made a hire that could impact Tigers in recruiting

The Alabama Crimson Tide made a hire this week that could impact LSU football — to some extent — in recruiting.

Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide are reportedly hiring former Tigers quarterback Zach Mettenberger to serve as an analyst in Tuscaloosa (via Matt Zenitz).

Mettenberger started his college career at Georgia before eventually landing with LSU.

The Georgia native played three seasons with the Tigers. As a senior in 2013, Mettenberger passed for 3,082 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions.

Mettenberger was drafted in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. He spent two seasons with the Titans. The former LSU standout also spent a year split between the San Diego Chargers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Before being hired by Alabama, Mettenberger was serving as an assistant coach at Father Ryan High School in Nashville.

How does Alabama hiring Zach Mettenberger impact LSU Football?

I don’t think this is going to be a massive deal, but it’s certainly not ideal to have a former LSU quarterback on Alabama’s staff.

Mettenberger can’t go on the road to recruit, but he’s obviously going to be around the facility when recruits are visiting.

What happens when a recruit is torn between Alabama and LSU and he has a former Tigers quarterback telling him he should play for the Crimson Tide?

Look, I know we see guys recruit against their alma maters every year in college football.

But that doesn’t make it any easier that a former LSU quarterback is working for Saban and Alabama.

Why couldn’t it have been somewhere like Arkansas that hired Mettenberger? Or Vanderbilt, in the same town where he was already living?

Maybe Brian Kelly can find a way to rescue Mettenberger from Tuscaloosa.