Nick Saban carried the torch on defense for Alabama football in Southeastern Conference and college football for 17 years.
He hired stellar coordinators such as Kirby Smart, Jeremy Pruitt, and Kevin Steele, but Saban was the architect. He chose to retire from coaching on Jan. 10 and Kalen DeBoer was hired to be Saban’s successor. Kane Wommack, 37, decided to leave his head coaching position at the University of South Alabama to join DeBoer as the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator.
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Wommack learned the 4-2-5 defensive scheme from his father, Dave, who was a long-time defensive coach in the SEC at Arkansas, South Carolina, and Ole Miss. For the young Wommack, he has an opportunity to restore Alabama’s defense to where Smart and Pruitt had it before the four years of struggle under Pete Golding. Wommack spent a lot of time bouncing concepts and ideas off Saban since being hired, and he’s excited about enhancing the defensive culture Saban laid during his tenure.
In an interview with Adam Breneman of Next Up, Wommack defined what he believes will make a successful season in the fall and tenure for him with the Crimson Tide.
*Kane Wommack explains what he defines as success on defense for Alabama at the 22:13 mark
“If we can stay relentless in our process and improve upon what has been the standard here … And then schematically, fundamentally, and as a team culturally, what we are doing to evolve from what has been here before, keeping a lot of the things Saban has done, and then adding the pieces that are the personalities of Kalen DeBoer … I think that’s the secret sauce,” Wommack said. “I think that is the excitement. I have seen our players lean into one another. I think they are having fun playing the game of football right now. I think they have done a great job of buying into what we are doing offensively and defensively.”
Wommack said Alabama has enough talent to walk on the field and not be outmatched by anyone.
“If we can stay focused on our process and get better every day, we will have ourselves in a position to be successful,” he said.
Wommack can’t put a number or a record on how good the Tide will be in the fall, yet he knows there is a standard of excellence in Tuscaloosa (Ala.) that must be produced. He is excited to have Alabama football back rocking on defense again.
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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.
