2 Alabama players to make first career starts against Vanderbilt

Sep 13, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Yhonzae Pierre (42) react after a successful stop during the first quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images

A pair of Alabama players will make their first career starts against the Vanderbilt Commodores on this weekend.

Yhonzae Pierre and Edric Hill are expected to make their first career starts on defense for the Crimson Tide. Pierre is listed as a starter at Wolf linebacker for Alabama, with Qua Russaw and Jah-Marien Latham sidelined with injuries.

Hill is not listed as a starter, but he is expected to start with James Smith out for the first half against Vanderbilt.

Pierre has come on strong as of late with more playing time.

“Yhonzae Pierre has consistently gotten better as a pass rusher and that’s one area that I’m excited about, some of the things that he gives us from a pass rush standpoint,” Wommack said. “I’ve talked about him in the off-season. He just keeps getting better and better. His ability to affect the run game, to generate some pass rush has shown up so far this season.”

Hill was a standout against Georgia. He finished the game with three total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a half sack.

“Edric played physical,” Wommack said. “He played hard in the game, which really, I think has been a marker of all of our guys. We played timid and on our heels in week one, and I think we have to this point, we have identified that and kind of rectified that a little bit in terms of the effort that we’re playing with, but particularly when you’re an interior D lineman, it’s natural when the ball is on the perimeter are thrown downfield not to naturally burst to the ball. And I think Edric’s doing a really good job with the ball with a bunch of our interior defensive linemen… I think Edric played well the other night.”

The Tide will lean on these two in this one.