People have been sharing their concerns about Alabama’s defense, including Nick Saban, but a defensive back for the Crimson Tide is very excited about Kane Wommack and the Tide’s defense in the fall.
Prince Butler, a defensive back from Alexandria, Va., spent time Sunday with Touchdown Alabama Magazine for an interview.
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He came in as a walk-on from Hayfield High School, but the junior was on Alabama’s 2023 Southeastern Conference Championship and College Football Playoff squad. Butler was also on the Tide’s 2022 Allstate Sugar Bowl team. The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder is a tremendous student — making the SEC’s Academic Honor Roll and earning the Black Scholars Award — yet Butler is pumped up about letting more naysayers know on the field. He said the team misses Saban, but the players have come together beautifully under Kalen DeBoer and Kane Wommack. Butler said both coaches are about the same relentless approach.
“Nothing has changed with DeBoer and Wommack,” Butler said. “We are still grinding and DeBoer has brought us in as a team.”
When it comes to Wommack, Butler says he brings the energy to the Swarm Defense.
“People question our secondary, but Coach Wommack challenges us to take advantage of every opportunity,” he said. “We are flowing well and the transition has been good day by day.”
Butler likes the juice Maurice Linguist brings to the team as a co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach; however, he highlighted three veteran players and a freshman to watch for in the fall.
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“Tim Kennan III, Deontae Lawson, and Malachi Moore are going to have big seasons,” Butler said. “Also, keep your eyes on Red Morgan. … He has stood out as a freshman. Morgan is bought into everything with his mentality.”
It is interesting Butler chose Kennan, Lawson, and Moore as Alabama’s biggest leaders on defense.
All three are Alabama natives that understand the importance of dominance on defense. Moore, a defensive back, was on the Crimson Tide’s 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship team. Kennan and Lawson both emerged as starters in 2023, but they know more is in store for them. It should be fun to watch what this team does, but Butler says they are committed.
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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.
