Alabama Football: Where the defense most needs to improve

Alabama football is seeking better defensive performance next season. Defensive improvement is needed across the SEC. Check out last season’s defensive stats of the top teams.

As the Oklahoma Sooners proved against Alabama football in the CFB semi-final, no amount of offense is enough without a defense that can stop another team. The Big 12 can be won without much defense, but not national championships.

Despite a glowing 14-1 record, late in the season, the Alabama football defense was found lacking. Georgia, Oklahoma and Clemson scorched the Crimson Tide defense for 454, 471 and 482 yards, respectively. Outscoring the Bulldogs and the Sooners was enough. Getting gashed by 44 points of Clemson offense was shocking.  It is even more troubling considering Clemson waltzed through most of the second half, not needing additional points.

The loss of the national championship game was the result of defensive and offensive failures. For the 2019 season, the Crimson Tide side of the ball most needing improvement is the defense. Looking back at the Tide’s full season defensive performance is worthwhile to see where the most improvement is needed.

This post is focused on Alabama football and 10 key defensive stats from the 2018 season. As a point of reference, all the 2018 SEC defenses who finished in the Top 30 nationally are also listed. The stats are provided by the NCAA. They are not weighted to account for the strength of opponents.

FBS Total Defense (ranked by average-per-game, yards allowed)

• No. 1 – Mississippi State
• No. 13 – Georgia
• No. 16 – Alabama
• No. 23 – Kentucky
• No. 25 – LSU
• No. 28 – Florida

Texas A&M (32), Auburn (38)

Scoring Defense (ranked by average points per game allowed)

• No. 2 – Mississippi State
• No. 6 – Kentucky
• No. 12 – Alabama
• No. 14 – Auburn
• No. 15 – Georgia
• No. 20 – Florida
• No. 26 – LSU

Texas A&M (47)

Rushing Defense  (ranked by opponent average yards gained)

• No. 2 – Mississippi State
• No. 3 – Texas A&M
• No. 19 – Alabama
• No. 22 – Missouri

Georgia (31), Auburn (32) and LSU (34)

Passing Efficiency Defense

• No. 2 – Mississippi State
• No. 4 – LSU
• No. 17 – Florida
• No. 23 – Alabama
• No. 29 – Georgia

Auburn (31)

Team Sacks (per game average)

• Tied for No. 10 – Alabama and Mississippi State
• Tied for No. 16 – Kentucky and Auburn
• Tied for No. 20 – Texas A&M and Florida

LSU (34), Georgia (100)

Tackles for a Loss (per game average)

• No. 8 – Mississippi State
• No. 13 – Texas A&M
• No. 20 – Auburn
• No. 25 – Ole Miss
• No. 26 – Alabama

Florida (43), LSU (51) and Georgia (114)

Passing Yards Allowed (per game average)

• No. 7 – Mississippi State
• No. 12 – Georgia
• No. 13 – Florida
• No. 18 – Kentucky
• No. 33- Alabama

LSU (38), Auburn (58), Texas A&M (98)

Red Zone Defense (per opponent success percentage)

• No. 6 – Alabama
• No. 8 – Mississippi State
• No. 11 – Kentucky
• No. 15 – Texas A&M

Auburn (64), LSU (83), Georgia (106)

Opponent 3rd Down Conversion

• No. 3 – Mississippi State
• No. 9 – Texas A&M
• No. 23 – Georgia
• No. 24 – Alabama
• No. 30 – Auburn

LSU (34)

Opponent 4th Down Conversion

• No. 2 – Missouri
• No. 6 – Mississippi State
• No. 11 – Kentucky
• No. 14 – Auburn
• No. 16 – Florida
• No. 36 – Alabama

Georgia (47), LSU (70)

In order of weakest performance, five of the ten stats reviewed fall below championship expectations: Passing Efficiency Defense (No. 23); Opponent 3rd down conversion (No. 24); Tackles for a loss (No. 26); Passing Yards Allowed (No. 33) and Opponent 4th down conversion (No. 36).

In what could be another regular season Alabama football rolls through unscathed, tracking improvement in these weak areas may be difficult. Last season, it was the last three games that drove the Crimson Tide down the stat rankings.