He had several cameras in his face at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in July for Southeastern Conference Football Media Days, but he provided the agenda for Alabama football.
Dallas Turner expected “Joyless Murderball” before starting his junior season. He and Kevin Steele, the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator, had started forming a relationship. Turner, without a smile, said to the media what he loved the most about Steele.
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“Coach Steele lets the players run the defense,” Turner said.
Steele, 65, returned to the University of Alabama under mixed emotions from fans. Some felt he was the right person to return to instill toughness, physicality, excellence, competitiveness, energy, and accountability into the defense. Others believed the game passed him by at his age, and the Tide should have looked elsewhere. After a loss to Texas in week two, Steele has this defense executing like one of the best groups in college football. Alabama blanked South Florida in the second half and allowed 13 points combined to Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M in the second half. Steele’s second-half adjustments are impressive as the Tide controls the SEC West and sits in the driver’s seat for a chance to win a conference championship.
The best defenses in the Nick Saban era have been those ranked high in college football for team sacks. Alabama shares second place in the nation with 22, averaging 3.67 sacks a game. Steele’s defensive play-calling has Turner on pace for an All-American season. He leads the Southeastern Conference and is tied for third nationally with 6.5 sacks. Chris Braswell, a linebacker, is second on the team and fifth in the SEC with 4.5 sacks. Both combined for 15.5 tackles for loss and 11 quarterback hurries.
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Alabama is in the top 20 for total defense (No. 19), surrendering 298.5 yards per game.
Ryan Anderson and Tim Williams were the best outside linebacker duo of the Saban era.
Both instituted fear in the hearts of quarterbacks, running backs, offensive linemen, and offensive coordinators. Turner and Braswell are growing toward that standard. Alabama’s second-half excellence ranks it in the top 15 and second in the SEC for scoring defense, allowing 15.2 points per game. The Tide is recording non-offensive touchdowns under Steele and would have had two in back-to-back weeks if not for a penalty against the Aggies. Braswell had an interception returned for a score versus Mississippi State. He blocked a field goal last week, picked it up, and ran it back for a touchdown but a blindside block call negated the score. Steele’s aggressiveness as a play-caller has the pass coverage for the Crimson Tide stepping up as well.
Alabama had seven interceptions all of last season.
It has equaled that output through six games now. Caleb Downs, a true freshman safety, leads the team with two picks. Terrion Arnold is playing his best football as a cornerback under Steele with a team-high six pass breakups. He also has an interception.
The Tide has turned a corner since a loss to the Longhorns, and Steele deserves credit for it.
Alabama is playing with more energy, excitement, enthusiasm, and togetherness. It has the ingredients to win an SEC Championship and possibly a College Football Playoff National Championship.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
