What the 2019 Defense Returns (As of 10:30 on 1/11)

RTR91 · Jan 11, 2019

Some can change their mind before the Monday deadline, but this is what the 2019 defense has coming back (guys that started in 2018 are in bold):

DL Raekwon Davis
DL LaBryan Ray
DL Phidarian Mathis

OLB Anfernee Jennings
OLB Terrell Lewis
OLB Christopher Allen

ILB Mack Wilson
ILB Dylan Moses

CB Trevon Diggs
CB Pat Surtain, II

DB Shy Carter
DB Jared Mayden

S Deionte Thompson
S Xavier McKinney

The experience coming back for the 2019 season is going to be great. Returning five starters in the secondary will be huge.

CincinnatiAlum · Jan 11, 2019

RTR These boys better come back hungry!!! NEVER AGAIN!
Plus I really want to see Eyobi Anoma get some serious time!!!

B1GTide · Jan 11, 2019

I think that Mathis is going to be great - can't wait to see him get more snaps. I am still very worried about the ILB play.

BamaMark. · Jan 11, 2019

Looks like we should be better everywhere except possibly DL, assuming ILB and S positions improve with the experience they gained. I really hope Lewis can stay healthy next year.

BamaMark. · Jan 11, 2019

B1GTide said:
I think that Mathis is going to be great - can't wait to see him get more snaps. I am still very worried about the ILB play.

I hope you are right about Mathis. Not quite sold on him yet myself.

B1GTide · Jan 11, 2019

BamaMark. said:
Looks like we should be better everywhere except possibly DL, assuming ILB and S positions improve with the experience they gained. I really hope Lewis can stay healthy next year.

Q was special - no one is going to duplicate that next year. But you don't need that kind of play from the DT position in your defense.

Intl.Aperture · Jan 11, 2019

B1GTide said:
Q was special - no one is going to duplicate that next year. But you don't need that kind of play from the DT position in your defense.

Not with Lewis and Jennings returning. Plus Anoma will have had another year in the system.

Bama-94-00 · Jan 11, 2019

Saivion Smith is also returning as a starter. He's a senior now.

(Nevermind he declared for the NFL draft since I originally posted this.)

rgw · Jan 11, 2019

We're gonna be a different defensive unit next year. This season's strategy and performance was the confluence of inexperienced staff with inexperienced players in the back seven. I think we got a bit snake bitten with the blitz and got away from disguise and complexity in favor of trying to mitigate being out of position. The straight up losing guys in space got to be less of a problem as the season wore on but you could tell that the better teams were well equipped to move on us in the air because the plan was pretty basic...you just need a little bit of protection to wiggle the guys open.

Next year, I expect a unit more like 2016 and 2017 where we get more complex with what we do up front because the secondary ought to be well situated.

Bama-94-00 · Jan 11, 2019

Bama needs to develop a solid 2-deep of Def players and use them regularly especially the DL and LB.

CrimsonEyeshade · Jan 11, 2019

If we don't get better inside LB play we're still leaving a giant hole in the middle of the field. Dylan's physical gifts far exceeded his performance. And for the life of me, I still don't know if Mac has a clue.

CrimsonForce · Jan 11, 2019

B1GTide said:
I think that Mathis is going to be great - can't wait to see him get more snaps. I am still very worried about the ILB play.

Maybe we need to simplify the defense some considering we almost always have a big talent advantage over the other team. Just seems like the ILB are processing plays very slow or guessing which means they either don't know their assignments or they're thinking to much instead of just taking a simplified approach. I know this isn't Saban's style but sometimes you have to cater to the talent you have and we just don't have a ILB that's cerebral like Rolando, Mosley, Hightower, Ragland etc..

B1GTide · Jan 11, 2019

CrimsonForce said:
Maybe we need to simplify the defense some considering we almost always have a big talent advantage over the other team. Just seems like the ILB are processing plays very slow or guessing which means they either don't know their assignments or they're thinking to much instead of just taking a simplified approach. I know this isn't Saban's style but sometimes you have to cater to the talent you have and we just don't have a ILB that's cerebral like Rolando, Mosley, Hightower, Ragland etc..

I would bench Mack before I take this step.

Mystical · Jan 11, 2019

CrimsonEyeshade said:
If we don't get better inside LB play we're still leaving a giant hole in the middle of the field. Dylan's physical gifts far exceeded his performance. And for the life of me, I still don't know if Mac has a clue.

I put that squarely on the coaching. Mac's problem has not been a lack of talent. Heck he was better last year. We need someone to teach that position again. I expect him to be lights out next year. He would have gone not latter than the second round off potential alone if he had come out this year. They were discussing him as possibly the first or second linebacker taken because of his coverage ability. The things he didn't do well are easily fixed. His coverage skills can't be taught, you either have the athletic ability of you don't.

gtgilbert · Jan 11, 2019

B1GTide said:
I would bench Mack before I take this step.

or at the very least, move the playcalling duties to Moses. We did that with Hightower, started the season calling plays from MIKE but he was tentative, so we moved Nico over to MIKE and he handled that role, and just let Donta play. Much more productive after that

CrimsonEyeshade · Jan 11, 2019

Perhaps he was better last year simply because he was surrounded by better players such as SDH and Evans. Physically, few can match up with Dylan and Mack, but how many times did they show up in the backfield? Play after play they seemed to dawdle by the line and let the action come to them. What they have in natural ability they seem to lack in instincts.

Mystical said:
I put that squarely on the coaching. Mac's problem has not been a lack of talent. Heck he was better last year. We need someone to teach that position again. I expect him to be lights out next year. He would have gone not latter than the second round off potential alone if he had come out this year. They were discussing him as possibly the first or second linebacker taken because of his coverage ability. The things he didn't do well are easily fixed. His coverage skills can't be taught, you either have the athletic ability of you don't.

EnterBama · Jan 11, 2019

B1GTide said:
I think that Mathis is going to be great - can't wait to see him get more snaps. I am still very worried about the ILB play.

So am I. That's our biggest weakness.

Ole Man Dan · Jan 11, 2019

rgw said:
We're gonna be a different defensive unit next year. This season's strategy and performance was the confluence of inexperienced staff with inexperienced players in the back seven. I think we got a bit snake bitten with the blitz and got away from disguise and complexity in favor of trying to mitigate being out of position. The straight up losing guys in space got to be less of a problem as the season wore on but you could tell that the better teams were well equipped to move on us in the air because the plan was pretty basic...you just need a little bit of protection to wiggle the guys open.

Next year, I expect a unit more like 2016 and 2017 where we get more complex with what we do up front because the secondary ought to be well situated.

Hope so... Now we need a great coach to call Defense and Offense...

What the 2019 Defense Returns (As of 10:30 on 1/11)

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