Discussion about Bama's D-Line

snake plissken

1st Team
Apr 13, 2011
578
35
47
Birmingham
So I'm listening to the Jox afternoon show yesterday and they were raving about Bama's defensive line and how it could be the best since Saban has been the coach. They just went on and on about the greatness and possibly being the best in the country. Then they said they have the potential to make an "incredible" 30-35 sacks this year. I found the whole conversation laughable like 30-35 sacks by a whole unit in a season is so great. If you watched Bama from 86-88 you know why I laughed.



Greatness was Derrick Thomas, he almost had that many sacks by himself in one season with 27 and 52 for his career. Shout out to the greatest pass rushing linebacker of all time!



 

narddogg81

BamaNation Citizen
Mar 18, 2012
63
0
0
So I'm listening to the Jox afternoon show yesterday and they were raving about Bama's defensive line and how it could be the best since Saban has been the coach. They just went on and on about the greatness and possibly being the best in the country. Then they said they have the potential to make an "incredible" 30-35 sacks this year. I found the whole conversation laughable like 30-35 sacks by a whole unit in a season is so great. If you watched Bama from 86-88 you know why I laughed.



Greatness was Derrick Thomas, he almost had that many sacks by himself in one season with 27 and 52 for his career. Shout out to the greatest pass rushing linebacker of all time!



dt was the best ever. the game is completely different now than when he played, however. mobile qbs, spread, hunh is the norm, all of which make it harder to dominantly rush the passer and get sacks
 

TiderJack

Hall of Fame
Jul 9, 2010
12,232
6,265
187
Inverness, AL
dt was the best ever. the game is completely different now than when he played, however. mobile qbs, spread, hunh is the norm, all of which make it harder to dominantly rush the passer and get sacks
Agreed but DT would have thrived with his skill set against HUNH offenses.
 

imauafan

All-American
Mar 3, 2004
3,620
982
232
Huntsville, AL
I had the privilege of seeing DT my freshmen year at UA (his senior year). IMHO he had the greatest season ever for a defensive player and should have finished in the top 3 for the heisman trophy. RIP DT.

About this years DL, they have a LOT of potential. Until I see it demonstrated play after play and game after game, I'm keeping my enthusiasm contained. We have some guys that could be awesome but they are inconsistent, or at least they were last year. I want to see them bring it every play. If they do that then there is no reason why this defense can't be one of CNS best ever.
 

CraigD

All-American
Aug 8, 2006
2,322
747
137
Columbus, GA
About this years DL, they have a LOT of potential. Until I see it demonstrated play after play and game after game, I'm keeping my enthusiasm contained. We have some guys that could be awesome but they are inconsistent, or at least they were last year. I want to see them bring it every play. If they do that then there is no reason why this defense can't be one of CNS best ever.
Agree. I still remember the "Pancake Posse"
 

CraigD

All-American
Aug 8, 2006
2,322
747
137
Columbus, GA
I'm not worried that we'll have that type of outcome, either... just more or a general warning to those who want to crown a group "best ever" before they take the field.
 

gtgilbert

All-American
Aug 12, 2011
3,168
4,046
187
with the HUNH and spread, most team actually throw more, so a guy like DT might get more at bats for rushing the passer
 

GreatMarch

All-SEC
Dec 10, 2010
1,432
0
0
Birmingham, AL
I think DT would have loved going against spread and HUNH offenses because the guy never got tired. I thought the funniest thing about the feature the NFL Network did on him was when the Chiefs were told they had to come to Alabama to work him out because he would not work out at the combine. Carl Peterson tells Bill Cowher to run DT till he passes out and Cowher admits to making up drills and still could not get DT tired.... Dude was an amazing athlete but the one thing that Curry was smart enough to do was play DT all over the field in our defensive scheme. He was probably the best football player in America in 1988.....
 

GreatMarch

All-SEC
Dec 10, 2010
1,432
0
0
Birmingham, AL
Is this supposed to be about the 2015 DL or Derrick Thomas?
DT would start on the 2015 DLine. :)

Just got off subject for a bit.....But I do think that this year's Dline and it's quality depth will allow us to play sometimes as few as 5 or 6 in the box and still stop the run. Sack numbers going up, maybe but I do think we can still stop the run with only 5 or 6 in the box on any down.
 

jthomas666

Hall of Fame
Aug 14, 2002
22,587
9,642
287
60
Birmingham & Warner Robins
Just got off subject for a bit.....But I do think that this year's Dline and it's quality depth will allow us to play sometimes as few as 5 or 6 in the box and still stop the run. Sack numbers going up, maybe but I do think we can still stop the run with only 5 or 6 in the box on any down.
All I know is that nobody in his right mind wants to mess with this man:

 

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
Apr 1, 2004
20,947
15,955
282
Boone, NC
Saw one tweet (I think it was Twitter) that said Bama's first and second team defensive line units would start anywhere in the SEC.
 

bamaslammer

All-American
Jan 8, 2003
4,440
1,104
282
Argo, AL, St Clair
www.kirkwoodhouse.com
The reason you're not going to see sack numbers like what you saw from Derrick Thomas is two fold, one, Derrick Thomas was probably the best single defensive player I ever saw and is probably one of the best to ever play the game. His late induction into the NFL hall of fame is beyond explanation.

Two, and this is more important, The old fashioned five step drop is nearly extinct. QB's don't stand back and scan the field giving linemen the chance to close in any more. They tend to make one or two quick reads and then fling it. Most QB's are more mobile today than they were in the past as well.

Our DL on paper is as deep and experienced as I ever remember and I remember about 30 years of Bama football clearly. But paper don't mean squat if the top three guys starting thinking of their NFL careers a bit too early. If they all play up to their potential they can be outstanding but there is still not an "elite" pass rusher in the group unless a younger player becomes that this season.
 

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