Kevin Steele returned Alabama’s defense to a process of being great in 2023, but this year’s group is about to hit another level.
Kane Wommack, 37, has his sights on restoring the defense to performing like it did under Kirby Smart and Jeremy Pruitt.
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Those groups not only led college football in marquee defensive categories, but they are also dominated in sacks, creating turnovers, and mentally defeating opponents. Smart and Pruitt recruited and played aggressive defensive linemen that caused anxiety for every offense Alabama battled against. No one wanted to deal with the National Football League draft picks the Tide had up front, including guys such as Marcell Dareus, Jonathan Allen, A’Shawn Robinson, Jarran Reed, Dalvin Tomlinson, Da’Ron Payne, Quinnen Williams, Ryan Anderson, Tim Williams, Rashaan Evans, Raekwon Davis, Isaiah Buggs, and Christian Barmore.
Wommack knows the return to being national champions starts with pressure from Alabama’s defensive line.
He spoke heavily about this aspect after Thursday’s practice. Wommack wants to create favorable matchups for his guys.
“Our personality over the last few years in this defense is to create pressure,” Wommack said about the 4-2-5.
“Pressure allows you to create takeaways, and we are a defense that wants to have production from the defensive line room. We are not going to be a stagnant, eat up blocks style defense. Do we have to take on blocks at times? Absolutely, and you are going to take on double teams. But, there are times where we are going to create movement. We are going to create pressure. We are going to get our best pass rushers matched up in one-on-one’s against their weakest links. We have always been able to hang our hat on finding the weakest link on offense and be able to expose that through one-on-one matchups with a defensive lineman.”
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Alabama’s defensive line should love playing for Coach Wommack. The Crimson Tide has at least 12 players in its rotation, but it can make life difficult for teams if it gets three to four guys to pop off with big sack numbers.
Wommack is about making the defense feared again, and it starts with Alabama’s defensive line.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
