The change Wommack made when Alabama was down 17-0 vs. Oklahoma

Dec 6, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kane Wommack looks on before the game against the Georgia Bulldogs during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Alabama football’s defensive coordinator Kane Wommack knew the Crimson Tide would have to adjust to the wrinkles the Oklahoma offense would throw at it early on in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

The Crimson Tide found themselves down 17-0 in the second quarter against the Sooners on the road in Norman on Friday night. John Mateer was making plays on the ground and with his arm. The Oklahoma quarterback look like he was en route to having a huge game, and that is when Wommack kicked in his adjustments.

“I thought they had a great plan early on,” Wommack said. “I thought the quarterback played out of his mind in the first half. He was dialed in. We didn’t affect him early enough from a pass-rush standpoint and then we started affecting him, and it drastically change the outcome of the game. Just finding ways to just settle in, let’s see what their pictures are, let’s see what their game plan is, what they’re going to do, and then being ready to adjust whichever way we needed to.”

One of the changes Wommack made was on the backend of his defense in the secondary.

“We haven’t played a lot of man coverage this year, but that was what we needed to do to win the game,” Wommack said. “Our DBs were begging for it. I mean, by the time we got to the second half, I mean, they wanted it. And that’s what you want, right? You want kids that are fighters that want the ball in their court. They want to be challenged. They want to go challenge people. Our players won this game, and they won the game for sure.”

Alabama played a lot of man, but the Tide also mixed some other coverages in. This led to Zabien Brown returning an interception 50 yards for a score.

“We’re in a lot of cover zero, and we just ran a simulated kind of cover two,” Brown said. “I’m dropping into the flats on the zero look. I see him kind of audible over there. Reading his eyes, kind of looked like he wanted to go over there pre-snap, and I just fell into the flats, ball fell right in my hand, and my mind says I’ve got to get to that zone, can’t get tackled.”

Alabama returns to action against Indiana in the Rose Bowl on New Years Day. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CST.