Former Alabama DB tells why he came around on Kane Wommack’s defense: “We have different philosophies, and it’s okay”

Nov 22, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack yells to his defense during the game with Eastern Illinois at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Roman Harper was not always a fan of Kane Wommack’s 4-2-5 defensive scheme.

Wommack became Alabama football’s defensive coordinator after Kalen DeBoer took the head coaching job for the Crimson Tide. Harper discussed why he came around on Wommack’s defense while recently talking to reporters at the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame Ceremony.

“They are forcing a lot of turnovers,” said Harper. “They are being really good statistically. It’s also, Kane knows this more than anybody, nobody cares about your stats at Alabama when you lose to Vanderbilt. It wasn’t good enough.”

While he has more faith in the Tide’s defensive scheme than he once did, there are some parts of it that the former Alabama defensive back is still not a fan of. He wants Alabama to be more physical, but he does have a better understanding of the scheme as a whole.

“I still don’t love everything,” Harper said. “We have different philosophies, and it’s okay. I talked to Kane. I think that’s the biggest thing that happened was that in the great words of Abraham Lincoln, “I hate that man, I must get to know him better.” I hate that defense; I got to get to know it better. I showed up on campus. Kane and those guys opened the doors for me, allowed me to kind of pull back the curtains and see everything. I understand the mental gymnastics he is going through and what he is trying to accomplish. I respect every defense if it has rules. It has to have an edge; it has to be gap solid. How do you defend four verticals? Certain rules have to come into effect. This team needed to learn what they can and can not get away with when they are running this defense and what they are trying to do. A lot more zone vision coverage in what they are trying to do. A lot of NFL teams do this as well. You have to be able to execute it and the longer you are in this defense, you start to know where teams are trying to attack you.”

Alabama football ranked 13th in the country in total defense during the 2025 season.