Kane Wommack: The Defense Has Taken Obvious Steps

Alabama's defense has had some cracks since the second half of the Georgia game but has managed to show progress weekly, only allowing four touchdowns over the course of three games against ranked opponents like Tennessee, Missouri, and LSU.

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Each game has a different story, necessitating a unique game plan every week. Kane Wommack has been able to find pieces to fill in those cracks, to maintain the Alabama standard.

After the loss to Tennessee, the defense began with a clean slate, shutting out the Missouri Tigers and then allowing the LSU Tigers to score one touchdown with seventeen seconds left in regulation. Slaying two Tigers back-to-back is an impressive achievement in the Southeastern Conference.

So, what has been the cause between this refined defense? On Monday, Wommack provided some answers to the realignment of this defense.

The Crimson Tide had about two weeks to prepare for the Tigers, who boast a stellar roster, including wide receiver Kyren Lacey and tight end Mason Taylor, both of whom have lit up many defenses this season.

However, the Crimson Tide did a great job by preventing the two from getting into the end zone and limiting them to making plays in the red zone. "Our guys are just getting better and more comfortable at things that were defending down in the red zone. So, you know red zone defense, it's not overly complicated in some of the things that we do from what we're asking them to do scheme wise, but how you defend all the different variations of passing concepts that teams run down there takes a little time to lean into that and I think our guys are starting to do a really nice job. They’re playing with anticipation” said Wommack regarding the defense's efficiency in the red zone.

With more than enough time in the third quarter, the Tigers had the opportunity to cut the lead to nine points. However, linebacker Deontae Lawson intercepted the pass, looking like a textbook play or something he's seen before. "That was something we showed them and it showed up on game day and he made a hell of a play in that regard. On the other side of it, I’m going to use this example, we showed them the sneak play that they ran on fourth down. We used that in the Saturday morning walk-through, got prepared for it, talked about it, worked it, but we didn’t execute it in the moment," said Wommack regarding Lawson seeing the pick in practice and again in the game.

It's clear that the Crimson Tide defense has improved over the past three weeks. As their season progresses, the defense must maintain its efficiency to achieve their goals. "I think our guys are taking steps in the right direction. I think we’re trending in the right direction as a defense. I do think that our players’ understanding of what we’re trying to do from a scheme standpoint, I think our players fundamentally are getting better and better. Our coaches are doing a really tremendous job of just continuing to build the fundamentals within our players," said Wommack.

The Crimson Tide will return to Bryant-Denny Stadium this Saturday to face the  9-1 Mercer Bears. "When you look at Mercer, really like what they do on offense. Impressed with a lot of the concepts they run. They’re very dynamic. They have a lot of volume — actually probably similar to what we’ve seen the last couple of weeks." said Wommack.

The Bears are not a conference opponent but are crucial win for the Crimson Tide to continue their season. The Bears currently lead their conference and have been challenging to stop on the perimeter. "That’s something we’re going to have to be aware of this week. Mercer does a really nice job attacking your perimeter, and you have to hold really good edges against them," said Wommack.

Alabama and Mercer are set to kick off on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. For more news about Alabama Football, stay updated through Tide 100.9.