The last exciting Alabama defense of the Nick Saban era came in 2017.
Saban saw the unit generate 40 sacks, 101 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles, 19 interceptions, and two touchdowns, en route to winning a College Football Playoff National Championship. Crimson Tide fans saw the defense decline in the next five seasons until Kevin Steele got the engine going in the right direction again in 2023. Will we see the return of a tenacious group this year?
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Kane Wommack replaced Steele as Alabama’s defensive coordinator. The 37-year-old has brought a lot of excitement to the defense.
His 4-2-5 scheme has players and fans interested on how much production will be created from it.
He came over to Tuscaloosa (Ala.) after three years as a head coach at the University of South Alabama from 2021 to 2023. His group finished in the top 20 (No. 15) for total defense in 2023, allowing 313.2 yards per game. Wommack is back as a defensive play caller and mentioned to reporters on Monday that he is “back in his element.”
A veteran defensive lineman for the Tide is pumped up.
Tim Smith, a fifth-year senior, said to Roger Hoover of Crimson Tide Sports Network that Alabama defense ‘will be about turnovers’ this year.
“Turnovers. Our defense has been on one this fall and spring.”
– @AlabamaFTBL DL @Timothy_smith77 on what this Tide defense will be known for.@Roger_Hoover‘s Full Interview on Thursday’s Crimson Drive driven by @NASCAR at 2 pm on @UA_CTSN: https://t.co/tgBThLFa8p pic.twitter.com/KU1EL0NVvZ— Crimson Tide Sports Network (@UA_CTSN) August 29, 2024
“I am not going to lie, our defense has been on one this fall and spring,” Smith said.
“Even with Wommack being new and us trying to understand everything, it is not even the scheme it is just our mindset as a defense. Everybody wants that pill. I don’t want to put my perspective on everybody else, but in football they are only recording the dude who gets the ball. He is getting the most recognition. So for a defensive player to get that rock, that is all you are going to see all season. Interceptions, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, defense is going to have the ball all year.”
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Alabama fans are praying Smith is telling the truth with this statement. If the defense dominates all season with Wommack, DeBoer should capture a national championship in his first season as Alabama’s head coach.
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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.
