The University of Alabama football program had one term for its pass rushers under Kirby Smart and Jeremy Pruitt.
Alabama had creatures on defense that relished terrorizing quarterbacks.
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Impactful names such as Reuben Foster, Tim Williams, Ryan Anderson, Dillon Lee, Rashaan Evans, and Christian Miller made a living on having offenses afraid when they exploded on the snap of the ball. Terrell Lewis and Anfernee Jennings created fear, and Will Anderson earned the nickname “Terminator” for what he did in his career at Alabama. Dallas Turner, a former five-star, returned the Tide to the College Football Playoff with his edge-bending prowess in 2023, and he had help from Chris Braswell.
Alabama has been at its best defensively when it’s had several guys that can get after quarterbacks.
Does it have a pack of players ready to have this group elite like it did in its national title years under Nick Saban? Kane Wommack, the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator, likes the unit he’s coaching in spring practice.
Wommack is a disciple of the 4-2-5 “Swarm Defense,” so he wants all 11 players attacking the ball with relentless effort. The terminology is different between Saban’s 3-4 nickel scheme and Wommack’s style, but the players are catching on to Wommack’s dynamic.
Alabama had Coach Wommack speak to reporters on Wednesday after practice.
He named several players, including a few former five-star recruits, he feels are prepared to be unleashed as ‘wolves’ in the pack of outside linebackers in pressure packages in the coming fall.
“We have a wolfpack,” Wommack said about Alabama’s outside ‘backers.
“We have a number of outside linebacker bodies, frames, and I am excited about what we are going to do with those things in terms of sub packages that we can carry on the field.”
Wommack is intrigued by how much speed Alabama can get on the field with players such as Quandarrius Robinson, Qua Russaw, Keanu Koht, and Yhonzae Pierre.
“I have been really impressed in what I have seen from those guys,” Wommack said. “We have to find creative ways to get them in one-on-one matchups.”
Robinson, Russaw, and Pierre all came to Alabama as five-star athletes in their respective signing classes.
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Robinson, a native of Birmingham, Ala., was on the Crimson Tide’s 2020 CFP National Championship team. Russaw and Pierre came in Alabama’s 2023 recruiting class as in-state prospects. Keon Keeley, a former five-star in the 2023 class from Tampa (Fla.), has transitioned to defensive end. He came as an outside linebacker, but Wommack sees potential in him up front.
“When you look at Keon and see how his frame has developed since last year here, he has a frame that is going to grow more into that Bandit role for us,” Wommack said. “That bandit position can play a nine technique, a five technique, reduce down and play a 4i at time, and as you see what Keon is developing into and what he may develop into at the next level… that’s more of a better fit for him.”
Keeley will have a lot asked of him in the ‘Bandit’ role, but he’s getting the coaching from Freddie Roach and Jamey Mosley (defensive analyst) to help him. Alabama fans have been waiting on Robinson, Koht, Russaw, Pierre, and Keeley to be unleashed on defense. Wommack is set to make it happen in spring practice and looks to carry the impact over into the regular season.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
