Alabama fans have asked questions about the offense holding things back in the playbook, but this same question needs to be directed to Kane Wommack and the Crimson Tide’s defense.
Wommack has a group that’s allowed 8.7 points and 248 yards per game in three matchups.
Alabama has forced takeaways in two of three games and pitched a shutout in its season opener versus Western Kentucky.
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Wommack still has things to clean up in the 4-2-5 “Swarm Defense,” but is he about to unleash big things for the Tide in a Southeastern Conference showdown against Georgia? The 37-year-old defensive coordinator had the ears of everyone in the media perched up Monday as he stated how Alabama has only used a ‘small volume’ of its scheme on defense in three games.
“That is a good thing,” Wommack said. “We carried a lot more defense into each of those three games, but when we realized that we did not have to show certain things we chose not to. We will get a ton of great reps at some of those things schematically that we need to make sure we get extra reps as we move into SEC play.”
Wommack knows there is a fine art and a balancing of when to show new things on defense.
“There is a little bit of a challenge to it,” he said. “You certainly want to make sure you have everything prepared, and yet at the same time you want to have wrinkles you can reveal at certain points in the season.”
What will those wrinkles be against a Bulldogs’ offense that scored just 13 points versus Kentucky?
Alabama has seven sacks on the year and Que Robinson leads the group with three at outside linebacker. Kirby Smart will have Georgia ready to play, but it will be intriguing to see what new looks Wommack will pull out his bag against the Bulldogs.
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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.
