Can Alabama football once again have a defense that racks up sacks and forces turnovers at an elite level? Kane Wommack, the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator, is determined to make it happen. After spending three years as the head coach at the University of South Alabama, the 37-year-old is back in Tuscaloosa, ready to bring his creative defensive strategies to the forefront. Although it took some time for the players to grasp the terminology and structure of his 4-2-5 defense, Wommack now sees a group ready to excel in fall camp.
On Thursday, Wommack highlighted several players who have shown promise as potential pass rushers. He emphasized that while he has various creative blitz options, his primary goal is for Alabama to generate pressure on quarterbacks with just four down linemen.
“You can look at pressure in many different ways,” Wommack said. “Some of it comes naturally. The key is whether we can generate pressure on the quarterback off the edge with four down linemen. We’re very focused on creating takeaways here, and takeaways often come from pressuring the quarterback. Last season in the NFL, 751 takeaways were recorded, and the vast majority resulted from pressuring the quarterback—whether by hitting him, getting hands on him, or forcing him into uncomfortable throws. I think we have some natural talent on the edge to do that.”
Wommack named Jah-Marien Latham and LT Overton as standouts on the defensive line, but he also expressed satisfaction with the outside linebackers.
“I’ve seen a lot of progress from the ‘wolf’ room,” Wommack said. “Keanu Koht, Qua Russaw, and Quandarrius Robinson are all doing great things. We also have younger players like Yhonzae Pierre stepping up, and guys like Keon Keeley and Jordan Renaud coming off the edge. I’ve been really pleased with the pass rush we’ve been able to generate.”
From 2015 to 2017, Alabama’s defense was elite, with multiple pass rushers wreaking havoc on opposing offenses. Players like Jonathan Allen, A’Shawn Robinson, and Reuben Foster made it impossible for offenses to focus on just one threat. Wommack believes this year’s unit has the depth to achieve similar results, but the true test will come as they continue to develop in preseason camp.
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