Alabama’s interior defensive line is what Nick Saban wants to improve in spring practice.
The Crimson Tide did not have a consistent pass rush inside after Phidarian Mathis in 2021.
Mathis led all linemen in tackles for loss (12) and sacks (nine), but he’s headed to the NFL Draft. Alabama returns DJ Dale and Byron Young, but both combined for four sacks (two apiece) last season. Young posted 9.5 tackles for loss while Dale had four stops for loss. Jamil Burroughs, Jah-Marien Latham, Braylen Ingraham, Tim Smith, Damon Payne, Tim Kennan III, and Anquin Barnes all return with experience in the system. Jaheim Oatis and Khurtiss Perry are freshmen enrollees pushing for playing time.
Coach Saban knows what he has in Dallas Turner and Will Anderson, but he said Alabama’s interior rushers are a working progress.
“We have a couple of guys that can make a difference there, but I don’t think it’s worthy of mentioning anyone’s name right now until they can prove it,” Saban said of the Crimson Tide’s interior pass rushers after last week’s scrimmage. “I think we got some guys that can do it. We have some pretty good edge rushers. [Chris] Braswell has done well, Dallas has done well, and Will has done well. Will did not work today, but it was by design. We gave other guys a chance to do it. That is an area we have to work on. We have guys that can do it, but it is about them doing it correctly.”
Saban highlighted the improtance of interior pass rushers pushing the pocket to help the edge guys.
Burroughs took reps as first-team nose tackle in the first scrimmage. Oatis, a four-star, totaled a few tackles, two quarterback hurries, and one sack. Dale is on the internal leadership group. Alabama has the athletes, but its defense will be a force if it can lock down a force at nose guard. We will see who emerges and wins the trust of everyone as an interior pass rusher.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
