How good can this freshmen class of defensive backs be for Alabama football?
Kane Wommack, Alabama’s defensive coordinator, and Crimson Tide fans want an answer to this question.
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Spring practice has been interesting thus far as names such as Red Morgan, Zabien Brown, Jaylen Mbakwe, Zavier Mincey, Peyton Woodyard, and Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. have been working hard as early enrollees. Coaches and players have talked about Morgan, Brown, and Woodyard throughout practice, but Mbakwe, Mincey, and Kirkpatrick have not been slouches on the field.
Wommack looks to get all young faces that are prepared to execute and win into the action. He explained on The Millers’ Edge with Corey and Christian Miller of Tide 100.9 FM his biggest expectation for the Crimson Tide’s freshmen defensive backs.
Kane Wommack on the expectations for the young defensive backs this upcoming season
Full Interview: https://t.co/guPDvYIkni pic.twitter.com/PJZBDYKSX7
— The Millers’ Edge (@TheMillersEdge) April 3, 2024
“They are talented for sure, but experience is finite,” Wommack said of Alabama’s young DBs.
“There are only 11 bodies that can go on the field from one year to the next, and when you lose those reps there is a cost to those things. What I am excited about with this group of young guys is that they are extremely talented. Some of them are probably further along in their technique, fundamentals, and consistency than the traditional freshmen coming out of high school. We have 22 guys on our roster here that still should be going to prom right now. It allows those guys to develop at a much higher rate going into their freshman season than what we have seen before.”
Wommack credits the training today’s defensive backs receive in 7-on-7 camps out of high school.
“Those are a ton of reps for defensive backs,” he said. “It is like an AAU basketball team, these guys play football year round. We are seeing freshmen come along further than where they were in the past. We are very aggressive in our offense and multiple in our install. We see a lot of pictures, a lot of formations, a lot of shifts/motions, and different variations of the passing game off that. So, the exciting thing I’m hopeful for is as we go into the season there will be very few things these guys have not seen.”
Wommack wants the young names in the secondary to make adjustments in real time on the field.
Alabama has a dynamic group, but it will be entertaining to watch who emerges to become a starter.
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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.
