What will the 2024 Bama defense look like?

[CrimSonami]

I’m curious to see what the X&O members of this forum think we’re going to see in our defense under DeBoer and Co. Having lost so much from the ‘23 team are we going to see a wholesale change? How much of a “work in process” mentality are we going to have to endure?

 

[davefrat]

I’m curious to see what the X&O members of this forum think we’re going to see in our defense under DeBoer and Co. Having lost so much from the ‘23 team are we going to see a wholesale change? How much of a “work in process” mentality are we going to have to endure?

I’ve wondered how complex it is compared to Saban’s.

Or in other words, is it easier for young players to pick up?

 

[bamaga]

I expect it to be complicated, but not nearly as complex as CNS’ . Remember Nick is offering advice to the defensive staff. And the basic philosophy of Womack’s system and what we ran 60% of the time the last few years is similiar. The defensive back reads will be different at this level, CNS used an NFL system in the backfield. With the portal losses , and NFL draft we will still see some growing pains. BTW, Arnold may prove to be the best we ever had when it’s all said and done, and his career looked at as a whole.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I agree with bamaga. But I expect pass rushing to be more aggressive, especially from the edge rushers. The term "swarm" has been used to describe Wommack's defenses. We'll see.

 

[Bama Lee]

We will run a 4-2-5 style defense. Wommack calls it a swarm design. My understanding is that the Nickel type posistion is a tweener that can play bandit styles. The system will also change for personel type both at defensive line, defensive end, and Linebacker. I am not sure how well the current OLB will be asked to adjust to be DE. I am sure that Wommack will also adjust his defense to incorporate the quality of athletes he will be coaching now.

 

[BamaMoon]

I've just got one question: Will the DBs turn and find the ball???

Almost put it in blue font. And before anybody responds, I understand what CNS believed and what he taught.

 

[Bama75&80]

Would be nice to see more interceptions. Add some stress to a quarterback as they are trying to evade a swarming pass rush.

 

[BamaBoySince89]

I've just got one question: Will the DBs turn and find the ball???

Almost put it in blue font. And before anybody responds, I understand what CNS believed and what he taught.

That was the one thing that used to irritate me. Hopefully Linguist makes that a priority

 

[AWRTR]

I expect it to be complicated, but not nearly as complex as CNS’ . Remember Nick is offering advice to the defensive staff. And the basic philosophy of Womack’s system and what we ran 60% of the time the last few years is similiar. The defensive back reads will be different at this level, CNS used an NFL system in the backfield. With the portal losses , and NFL draft we will still see some growing pains. BTW, Arnold may prove to be the best we ever had when it’s all said and done, and his career looked at as a whole.

With guys like Kirkpatrick Sr. and Fitzpatrick it will be hard for him to be the top guy.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I just want to get back to a dominant pass rush. I loved the days of Duron Payne, Jonathan Allen, Quinnen Williams, etc. where we could collapse a pocket in the blink of an eye.

 

[Cruloc]

I just want to get back to a dominant pass rush. I loved the days of Duron Payne, Jonathan Allen, Quinnen Williams, etc. where we could collapse a pocket in the blink of an eye.

The great equalizer against any good QB....like what Michigan did against Penix....get after him, stress him, collapse the pocket. That was how Chip Kelly's Oregon teams with Mariota were beaten.

 

[gtgilbert]

I expect it to be complicated, but not nearly as complex as CNS’ . Remember Nick is offering advice to the defensive staff. And the basic philosophy of Womack’s system and what we ran 60% of the time the last few years is similiar. The defensive back reads will be different at this level, CNS used an NFL system in the backfield. With the portal losses , and NFL draft we will still see some growing pains. BTW, Arnold may prove to be the best we ever had when it’s all said and done, and his career looked at as a whole.

so the alignment is similar, and it's closer to 90% of the time that Saban was using a nickel, but from what I have seen looking at both UW and USA, the philosophy of how that 4-2-5 alignment operates is pretty different. More one gap attack and run fits from the front 6 guys and some Safety/Nickel support, with simplified coverages as you mentioned on the backend.

 

[BamaInBham]

so the alignment is similar, and it's closer to 90% of the time that Saban was using a nickel, but from what I have seen looking at both UW and USA, the philosophy of how that 4-2-5 alignment operates is pretty different. More one gap attack and run fits from the front 6 guys and some Safety/Nickel support, with simplified coverages as you mentioned on the backend.

How do you think it fits Alabama's personnel and how effective should it be against today's offenses compared to the Saban system? Like most fans I like an attacking D, will it be worth the risk?

 

[AWRTR]

The great equalizer against any good QB....like what Michigan did against Penix....get after him, stress him, collapse the pocket. That was how Chip Kelly's Oregon teams with Mariota were beaten.

It is especially effective if the rush comes from the middle of the d-line. When it's in the QB's face it's even more disruptive. That is what guys like Allen and Williams brought to the table, but that is hard to coach. It just takes a unicorn athlete to make that happen. Think Warren Sapp type of guys.

 

[gtgilbert]

How do you think it fits Alabama's personnel and how effective should it be against today's offenses compared to the Saban system? Like most fans I like an attacking D, will it be worth the risk?

this is all speculation, so I could be way off, but IMO, many of the roles/player types are very similar. The biggest possible change I see is for one edge player. Saban typically ran three guys who were big body DL types with one of them just being slightly smaller and playing kinda like an edge guy. This was Eboigbe last year. These are typically guys who still end up as DTs when they go to the NFL. Neither the UW or USA defense used that type of guy as an EDGE player. They go with 2 bigger types inside, then a guy like we would think of as a JACK or SAM as one edge, then they have an edge that's bigger than we would have for an OLB, but isn't a 290 or 300 pound guy either. In the past when we had these types in the 265 to 280 range, we'd bulk them up to be one of the three bigs. Now they'll possibly have a spot without the extra weight. Luckily we do have some guys of that type on campus now, but having those guys step into edge roles is the biggest change from a personnel fit standpoint. Otherwise the one EDGE, the 2 Interior DL, 2 LBs and the DB positions all seem to be the same type of guys, just maybe with slightly different roles/responsibilities and types for what we would have called Star, FS and SS, but would now be S, FS and Rover (or some other name).

This video has some pretty good insight into it also. The summary of it is that Saban was running a nickel variant +85% of the time, with the rest in dime, and we're just running a slightly different nickel variant going forward. Saban's nickel variant kept 2 safeties higher (but with one crashing hard in run support most of the time), where it seems this nickel variant might only keep one safety high and have the other up closer, but then bailing faster in pass pro...

 

[Countrytider2]

I expect it to be complicated, but not nearly as complex as CNS’ . Remember Nick is offering advice to the defensive staff. And the basic philosophy of Womack’s system and what we ran 60% of the time the last few years is similiar. The defensive back reads will be different at this level, CNS used an NFL system in the backfield. With the portal losses , and NFL draft we will still see some growing pains. BTW, Arnold may prove to be the best we ever had when it’s all said and done, and his career looked at as a whole.

Arnold and Amos both were better CB’s than Kool-Aid.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Alabama DC Kane Wommack appreciates Nick Saban in helping him bring in new scheme

He always wanted the opportunity to be involved in the culture of Alabama football, and now he has it. Kane Wommack, 36, is the new defensive coordinator for the University of Alabama. He coordinated defenses at Eastern Illinois (2014-15), South Alabama (2016-17), and Indiana (2019-20) before...

tdalabamamag.com

Wommack wants to blend the old with the new and find the best way that Alabama can be elite on defense.

“There is a ton of carry-over in what we do and what Coach Saban has done,” Wommack said.

 

[BamaMoon]

I'll be honest that I wasn't sure how well the "let's consult CNS" avenue might work in the transition, but it seems Womack and Deboer are really playing it the right way so far.

And I trust CNS will know how far away he needs to stay without seeming to interfere. He's the GOAT so I'm glad he's still available.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

Alabama DC Kane Wommack appreciates Nick Saban in helping him bring in new scheme

He always wanted the opportunity to be involved in the culture of Alabama football, and now he has it. Kane Wommack, 36, is the new defensive coordinator for the University of Alabama. He coordinated defenses at Eastern Illinois (2014-15), South Alabama (2016-17), and Indiana (2019-20) before...

tdalabamamag.com

Wommack wants to blend the old with the new and find the best way that Alabama can be elite on defense.

“There is a ton of carry-over in what we do and what Coach Saban has done,” Wommack said.

I have a feeling we'll see more of similar blitz concepts and how they deploy man to man coverage, 2 man coverage and etc. I really want to know is how they will teach DBs in how they track the ball.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I have a feeling we'll see more of similar blitz concepts and how they deploy man to man coverage, 2 man coverage and etc. I really want to know is how they will teach DBs in how they track the ball.

Hopefully spring practice and A-Day answers questions.