Next Year's Secondary

Who is going to start and backup at NT ? Dwight seems to be all we have now. It's such a key position in the 3-4. IMO, Payne is the most underappreciated player on the team as well as one of the best, along with Minkah and Evans.

Other than NT the front 7 should be good, maybe very good: DL Williams, Davis, Ray, Buggs, Dwight, Mathis; OLB Miller, Lewis, Jennings, Allen, Brown; ILB Wilson, Moses.

We may need to sign about 4 linebackers if we have the same luck next year that we're having now.....

bamamc1 said:

We may need to sign about 4 linebackers if we have the same luck next year that we're having now.....

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We've got 3 committed, plus parks as a greyshirt and the ATH who is commited could also end up as an LB so we're in decent shape if they all sign. we're still lean in the defensive backfield though...

In the secondary we have some young talented players and we are strongly recruiting 3-4 5* and 4* CB's with one being a JUCO as RTR91 referenced.

At safety we have Deointe Thompson and Keaton Anderson and some talented kids in Xavier McKinney, Daniel Wright and Kyriq McDonald who will be true sophs next year.

At CB, we have Trayvon Diggs, Jared Mayden and Shyheim Carter. Some of the highly rated true freshmen CB's will get a shot to start or heavily contribute.

As others have said, I don't worry about the defense.

bfg3rd said:

Don't forget about Jennings and Miller. We will have a lot of players with quality experience coming back in the front seven. I'll take our chances on D.

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I was thinking Hall as well but forgot he changed to Lewis who was mentioned.

crimsonaudio said:

I guess we have to discuss something, but...

...heading into year 12 under CNS and people still worry about the defense?

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True but we are potentially looking at replacing 9-10 starters. That’s insane...

A rebuilding job, for sure. But with talent that we already have in the recruiting pipeline and already on the roster, I'm not worried.

crimsonaudio said:

I guess we have to discuss something, but...

...heading into year 12 under CNS and people still worry about the defense?

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2014 defense was definitely not up to par with the other defenses. Ole Miss, Auburn, tOSU. All had way too high scores. However, I think if you put this year's offense (only one interception thrown by Hurts) with 2014 defense we would still have had a National Championship. They still got plenty of stops, they just were not ad good as other years.

uafanataum said:

2014 defense was definitely not up to par with the other defenses. Ole Miss, Auburn, tOSU. All had way too high scores. However, I think if you put this year's offense (only one interception thrown by Hurts) with 2014 defense we would still have had a National Championship. They still got plenty of stops, they just were not ad good as other years.

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2014 was one of the worst defenses statistically under Saban. It is second to last in what opponents averaged compared to what they actually did against Alabama in yards and points. Alabama still held opponents to 99 yards per game and 12.8 points per game less than they averaged in any other game.

That's a testament to how great our defenses have been.

RTR91 said:

2014 was one of the worst defenses statistically under Saban. It is second to last in what opponents averaged compared to what they actually did against Alabama in yards and points. Alabama still held opponents to 99 yards per game and 12.8 points per game less than they averaged in any other game.

That's a testament to how great our defenses have been.

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My point was not to pick on the 2014 defense. I am proud of every single team that has played for Alabama. My point was to show that when "life" happens our defense, even under Saban, can have much worse years than usual. You have however shown that much worse is not too bad at all though. Still, in big games that defense failed to take the pressure off the offense. That teams offense (or maybe that years OC) failed to rise to the occasion at the end of the season. I think that IF next year's defense is not a top 5 defense that the offense still could win a championship.

colbysullivan said:

True but we are potentially looking at replacing 9-10 starters. That’s insane...

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You are right that in the dime Bama is losing 9 starters, but in more normal packages they return 5 starters: Davis, Buggs, Miller, Jennings/Lewis, Moses. The front 7 could be very good.

I've asked this question twice elsewhere, but can't get anyone to respond: What does anyone think about the NT situation next year ? Payne and Frazier will both be gone. What will be Dwight's role and how good can he be ? What might Bama's plan be in respect to returning players and incoming talent ? Thanks for any thoughts.

CajunCrimson said:

Minkah
Harrison
Brown
Hootie
Averett
Levi
Evans
SDH
Payne

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Hand too. Our D is getting decimated next year.

BamaInBham said:

You are right that in the dime Bama is losing 9 starters, but in more normal packages they return 5 starters: Davis, Buggs, Miller, Jennings/Lewis, Moses. The front 7 could be very good.

I've asked this question twice elsewhere, but can't get anyone to respond: What does anyone think about the NT situation next year ? Payne and Frazier will both be gone. What will be Dwight's role and how good can he be ? What might Bama's plan be in respect to returning players and incoming talent ? Thanks for any thoughts.

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thing is, we play dime more than we play the 3-4 so it's a bigger impact losing all 6 dbs. we're only in the 3-4 at most 15-20% of the time and in many games far far less.

for NT Davis might slide inside when we play 3-4 if Dwight doesn't take the spot. mathis might get a look depending on how he develops with coach Cochran.

gtgilbert said:

thing is, we play dime more than we play the 3-4 so it's a bigger impact losing all 6 dbs. we're only in the 3-4 at most 15-20% of the time and in many games far far less.

for NT Davis might slide inside when we play 3-4 if Dwight doesn't take the spot. mathis might get a look depending on how he develops with coach Cochran.

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Thanks for the response. I thought we were usually in the nickel.

We won't know as they haven't played, but with Miller, Lewis & Jennings... along with Buggs, Ray, etc. The pass rush & front 7 could be elite again. It's been pretty darned good this year even with injuries.

In years when the secondary is young, there are always growing pains, but by November it's usually on point. Plus the front 7 is there to help support withi that pass rush. Along with an incredible offense.

Only thing I'm worried about is if Lamar Jackson returns. . . because he would be the only player I can see testing us before Miss State & Fitzgerald, & the rest of that team will be a disaster.. Maybe if TA&MU or Tenn score big with their coaching search. . . Even then it will be early in the year. If you do feel we have to rebuild & I don't. . . Next years early schedule is a great one to do it against. The offense will carry them far

uafanataum said:

2014 defense was definitely not up to par with the other defenses. Ole Miss, Auburn, tOSU. All had way too high scores. However, I think if you put this year's offense (only one interception thrown by Hurts) with 2014 defense we would still have had a National Championship. They still got plenty of stops, they just were not ad good as other years.

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I think the biggest factor in defensive stats not being as good that year was the change in offensive philosophy. We had a lot of quick strike scores that year and put up some stats that look pretty to those who worry about stats, but we weren't controlling the line and time of possession as much as usual. Generally speaking, the more the defense is on the field, the worse the stats are going to look. Clemson has shown during the last two national title games that even great defenses look average if they are on the field for 90-100 plays.

BamaInBham said:

Thanks for the response. I thought we were usually in the nickel.

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we play nickel more than anything else with dime the next most used. even in the nickel we don't use the NT in the traditional way as we slide the alignment of the dl over much of the time.

B1GTide said:

I think that your offense will be the best under Saban next year.

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Agreed, with no injuries could be the best Saban has had!