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Alabama's 2020 Defensive Unit

B1GTide

B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
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There is a lot to look forward to next year. Your offense is going to be prolific again no matter who starts at QB. But since the weakness the last 2 seasons has been on the defensive side of the ball, let's look forward and see how we think the personnel compare to the starters in 2019.

DT/NG - Everyone will be back next year with more experience.

- Improved

DE - You lose Davis, but you get Ray back from injury and Barmore has become a star. Not a ton of depth here, but everyone now has experience.

- Improved

OLB - You lose Jennings. Allen probably takes his spot. Lewis could also move on to the NFL. If both move on, this will be a problem next year. I would love to see Lee moved into this role. He could have success containing the edge against the run and getting after the QB.

- If Lewis stays, Equal. If Lewis leaves, Decline

ILB - Need a new coach here. If Golding is still coaching this position next year, prepare for more of the same that you have seen since he arrived. That said - personnel: Moses could come back. If he does, he and Harris will handle the position very well next year. For depth you have Kaho and Benton, both of whom have the ability to cover RBs and TEs in space. You still have Lee, but he is a liability on passing downs.

- TBD - Equal or Improved

CB - Diggs is gone, as is Carter, but everyone else comes back. This will be a position of strength next year.

Improved

Safeties - This is where you really get cleaned out, especially if McKinney leaves for the NFL. Mayden is a senior. Wright and Battle both played well this year, but you will have absolutely no depth if McKinney leaves.

Equal if McKinney stays, Decline if he leaves



So, I see Alabama improving across the defensive line and at corner.

The jury is out at the linebacker and safety positions depending on a few things. The disposition of both is really based on the decisions of players - Lewis and McKinney. If they both stay, Alabama will go into next year with a better defensive team than you went into this year - and this does not take into account the play of any incoming recruits. If they both leave, things get dicey.

If Moses decides to come back then you really look like a better team, but if he leaves things don't change as he did not play in 2019. The 2019 team was decimated by injuries. Let's hope that all of the early playing time leads to a better squad in 2020. Yeah, and no more injuries.I know I have not mentioned every player - this is just a high level view on a lazy Sunday morning.
 
I think moving Lee to the outside is a logical choice. I don't think he has the speed or agility to cove the backs or run side to side like some of the backers we have had in the past. I think he is a good player but need to find his spot.

I think the interior DL needs to be eating up more blockers to free up the backer. I think our good D's of the past alway had a NG that had very few stats but often required a double team and clogged the middle (Q was an exception to this)
 
I hope as many players stay as possible. Like Clemson's did last year.

Which, if any, of the freshmen entering for next year on defense do you think can contribute a lot, or even start? That is assuming the verbal commits actually sign on Dec 18. I am concerned that some will flip and not let Saban know until it is too late. D Kennedy comes to mind from what I read last night.

I wonder how all the stress this year and the past 2 years has really affected Saban. He will say publicly that he is fine but all the things that have happened has surely affected him. Guess nobody really knows except Miss Terry.
 
Redwood Forrest said:
All that improving will be needed but you left out one thing that needs drastic improvement. COACHING.
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Yeah, I mentioned that with respect the ILBs. Golding is not getting it done. The other guys:

Sal Sunseri - he is a proven commodity as an OLB coach
Brian Baker - also a proven commodity as a DL coach
Charles Kelly - I just don't know enough about him as a safety coach, but your safeties played well this year.
Karl Scott - I am not convinced that he is a problem. CB play has been solid if unspectacular, but much improved from last year.
 
81usaf92 said:
I have a feeling that we are going to be starting some 4 star freshman at linebacker next year.
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Maybe at OLB if Lewis leaves? You have Allen ready to take a spot. I would rather see Lee slide out to Jack than start a TF unless someone really stands out, and I don't see a TF recruit committed who is ready.

You have Harris, Kaho and Benton at ILB (Lee should not be an ILB).
 
B1GTide said:
Maybe at OLB if Lewis leaves? You have Allen ready to take a spot. I would rather see Lee slide out to Jack than start a TF unless someone really stands out, and I don't see a TF recruit committed who is ready.

You have Harris, Kaho and Benton at ILB (Lee should not be an ILB).
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I would love to see Kaho get more time. He plays fast.

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Unless there are some surprises in guys returning g for another year the D will take a step back in terms of talent. You lose 3/4 in the secondary and 2/4 at LB and then you lose Davis on the line. I’m excited about the prospects of the D line, but the back 7 may be brutally bad.
 
Seems like the success of this unit depends heavily on guys deciding to come back instead of declare early for the draft. That leads me to have a less than rosy picture right now. What happens in mid-January looms large on this defense's fortunes in 2020.

I've mentioned it elsewhere but I think Diggs should take the medical waiver and return to play free safety in 2020. He's not a top prospect at cornerback. He may not even end up on a roster if not for his special teams utility. His best plays this year were largely when he was in zone and could play the ball easier than when in man coverage. He looks slower in man coverage than his 40 time. I think he's just lacking the hip flexibility to change direction/position with the fluidity required to be a man coverage defender. This is less of a problem at safety where he's usually defending space and can use his pure speed to make plays on the ball.
 
rgw said:
Seems like the success of this unit depends heavily on guys deciding to come back instead of declare early for the draft. That leads me to have a less than rosy picture right now. What happens in mid-January looms large on this defense's fortunes in 2020.

I've mentioned it elsewhere but I think Diggs should take the medical waiver and return to play free safety in 2020. He's not a top prospect at cornerback. He may not even end up on a roster if not for his special teams utility. His best plays this year were largely when he was in zone and could play the ball easier than when in man coverage. He looks slower in man coverage than his 40 time. I think he's just lacking the hip flexibility to change direction/position with the fluidity required to be a man coverage defender. This is less of a problem at safety where he's usually defending space and can use his pure speed to make plays on the ball.
Click to expand...
Diggs played in 6 games last year, and 46 total games at Alabama. No way he gets a medical waiver approved, but I agree with your assessment. He is a safety in the NFL. Because of his brother's talent, he will get a shot with someone.

As for the other 3 guys - they should all come back, but I doubt they all will.
 
I thought his injury came much earlier than it actually did. My error. He's gonna have to show out at the combine and hope a franchise in the NFL sees what I see.


He's a guy with some growth in the position could be a very good safety.
 
Hopefully, a few recruits can challenge the current players and maybe we'll find a few who can contribute immediately, without making the mistakes this bunch did.
 
rgw said:
Seems like the success of this unit depends heavily on guys deciding to come back instead of declare early for the draft. That leads me to have a less than rosy picture right now. What happens in mid-January looms large on this defense's fortunes in 2020.

I've mentioned it elsewhere but I think Diggs should take the medical waiver and return to play free safety in 2020. He's not a top prospect at cornerback. He may not even end up on a roster if not for his special teams utility. His best plays this year were largely when he was in zone and could play the ball easier than when in man coverage. He looks slower in man coverage than his 40 time. I think he's just lacking the hip flexibility to change direction/position with the fluidity required to be a man coverage defender. This is less of a problem at safety where he's usually defending space and can use his pure speed to make plays on the ball.
Click to expand...

I bet he goes in the top 3 rounds probably early 2nd at worse. I will not be surprised if he has a much better pro career than what he had here. His problem has not been that he is getting flat out beat. Usually he is right there. I think the NFL will clean up a few things and he will have a nice career. He has good ball skills. The back shoulder throw is what he is most vulnerable to. Can you think of a play where he was just burnt? Until the LSU game they were saying he had top 10 talent. That first catch he gave up he lost his balance. The one against Moss was an incredible placement of the ball by the QB and an Outstanding catch, if it was a catch, by the receiver. When is the last time we had a true shut down corner? Not many of those in all of college football this year. He has been dominant in most of his games this year. I didn't think he played poorly yesterday. In fact I think he probably gave up less catches than the other corner. No knock on Patrick because those were undefendable throws as well. I think you will be surprised at how well he does in the NFL.
 
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