One of Kalen DeBoer’s first major hires when becoming the new head coach at Alabama was bringing in Kane Wommack as his defensive coordinator.
Wommack and DeBoer both previously worked together back during their days at Indiana which is why Wommack opted to join the Crimson Tide despite running a program of his own.
For the past three seasons, Wommack had served as the head coach at South Alabama where he compiled a record of 22-16 with two bowl appearances. Leaving any program can be a difficult decision, but Wommack further explained to members of the local media on Wednesday why he chose to move up north to Tuscaloosa.
“Growing up in the south, my dad was a longtime defensive coordinator all over the SEC,” Wommack said. “I played in the SEC and have always had tremendous respect for Alabama. I think there is a standard that’s been set here, certainly over the last 17 years with Coach Saban, but also before that. Somebody gave me a pair of shoes the other day, and it had 18 and 31 and I didn’t know what that meant. Now I do. Those are things, when you look at what this place is, there’s a standard here that’s respected in college football across the board, and you want to be part of those things.
“To do that with Kalen DeBoer is something truly special. For any of you who knew my time at South Alabama, you know what I think of Mobile, Alabama. I absolutely adore that city. I love that university. I love that football team and what we were building there. This was an opportunity I was not going to turn down.”
In the few spring practices the Crimson Tide have already conducted, Wommack’s energy and enthusiasm are unavoidable and are something that he takes pride in and responsibility when it comes to running the defense.
“I think the responsibility, as the defensive coordinator is to set the tone of what you’re looking for,” Wommack said. “I write in my notes every single day before we go out, you set the standard. You are the standard for how you want things done. I think the leaders lead from the front, and they serve everyone else around them, but they also set the example and the tone of how things need to be.
“If I ask my players to bring energy every single day, I also need to bring energy every single day. Ultimately, my job is to set the standard, cast vision and then hold everybody accountable to the relentless detail that it takes to accomplish that vision.”
Alabama will return to the practice field on Friday for its third of 14 total spring practice sessions ahead of A-Day.
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
