Alabama defense in ‘pretty good place’ heading into summer, per Kane Wommack

Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News/USA Today images

It is not where it wants to be, but Alabama football has made steady improvement under Kane Wommack in the last two years.

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The Crimson Tide revamped its secondary with rangy, athletic defensive backs, while adding quality linemen and linebackers from the NCAA transfer portal. Alabama played with chemistry in its defensive backfield in 2025, especially when Dijon Lee took over for Domani Jackson at cornerback.

Coach Wommack returns continuity in his secondary as Keon Sabb, Bray Hubbard, Zabien Brown, Red Morgan, and Lee are all back. Young names such as Ivan Taylor, Zavier Mincey, and Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. have some time on task as well. The Tide needs to replace Deontae Lawson, Justin Jefferson, and Nikhai Hill-Green at inside linebacker; however, it landed a transfer in Caleb Woodson from Virginia Tech.

QB Reese, Luke Metz, Cayden Jones, Duke Johnson II, Abduall Sanders Jr., and Xavier Griffin are battling for the off-ball position next to Woodson. Alabama also needs to pop out some edge rushers to help Yhonzae Pierre put heat on opposing quarterbacks in the fall. This year’s defense needs to grow into an elite unit, but Wommack had praise for the group in Monday’s Senior Bowl Charity Golf event.

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“It’s just nice when you go into Year 3, and there’s a lot of continuity,” Wommack said. 

“We’ve got a lot of returning starters on our backend, a lot of young guys that are pushing some of those guys as well, which is really great.”

Alabama has continuity in its secondary as Sabb, Hubbard, Brown, Lee, and Morgan have played a lot together. The group combined has 17 interceptions in two seasons, and Morgan is the lone one without a pick. Woodson comes over from Virginia Tech with much production, yet it will be interesting to see who wins the job next to him. Pierre is back after having 14.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, nine quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles, and a pass breakup; nevertheless, the fun will be in who emerges as the second edge rusher. Alabama also has guys on its defensive line that are ready to show fans who they are. 

“We’ve kind of got the defensive line into a position where we’ve got more mass, there’s some older guys, the transfer portal has been really good to us,” Wommack said. 

“So having some of those guys in, coupled with our backend, I think there’s a lot of continuity.”

The returners on the Tide’s defensive line include names such as Jeremiah Beaman, London Simmons, Isaia Faga, Steve Bolo Mboamoua, and Edric Hill. Alabama acquired Devan Thompkins, Terrance Green, Kedrick Bingley-Jones, Caleb Smith, and Desmond Umeozulu from the portal.

It also signed a few talented freshmen that look to make an impact.

Coach Wommack’s biggest aspect will be can his group stop the run consistently along with dropping quarterbacks for sacks and creating takeaways?

“We’re really in a pretty good place as a defense, and so to just have the comfort in knowing that you’re going to be able to develop these players and retain all of these players coming out of spring is great,” he said. “And so now our attention gets to really focus in on some of this high school class and get the best young high school players in the country, which has always been the recipe for success.”

Alabama QB Keelon Russell throwing laser beams during off-season training

Alabama can be scary in the fall if it becomes an all-around elite defense.

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Stephen M. Smith is a team writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine.  You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.