Alabama Football: Fall Camp talk emphasizes defense

Alabama football fans are adjusting to a preseason in which practice photos and video snippets are the only ‘eyes’ on practice sessions.

There is additional information that comes out from player interviews and Nick Saban’s reviews. Getting a more complete picture requires adding context and additional meaning from the limited information.

An early, but still strong sense of Fall Camp is the Tide’s defense will be much improved. Pete Golding has good reason for the enthusiasm he exhibited in his one preseason preview. The Alabama Crimson Tide defense is very deep and very talented. While it may not come close to the stats of the Tide’s great defenses, it could be the SEC’s best and one of the top defenses in the nation.

Reasons for enthusiasm about Alabama Football Defense

• There is depth in every position group driving competition
• Even if Eli Ricks needs more time to master Saban’s defensive schemes (as has been suggested), cornerback will be a Tide strength with Kool-Aid and Khyree Jackson being pushed by Terrion Arnold, Brian Branch, and per Nick Saban, junior Jahquez Robinson.
• Pete Golding is also bullish on the Tide’s inside pass rush from DJ Dale, Byron Young, Jamil Burroughs, Jah-Marien Latham and Jaheim Oatis.
• Golding basically stated one blocker cannot stop Oatis, who has dropped over 70 pounds since arriving in Tuscaloosa. Golding’s exact words were,

"Jaheim has got a lot more wiggle than you think he’s got. If you leave one guy on him, good luck."

• What the Alabama football defense is expected to do best is rush the passer.  Alabama led the nation in sacks last season. It will again in 2022, and possibly by a wide margin. Though it may not be unveiled until the Texas game (or later) the formation that includes Will Anderson Jr., Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell on the field together will be exceptional. Speaking of Braswell, Pete Golding said,

"Chris Braswell has really been showing up. Heavy-handed, good pash rusher."

In what could become the biggest understatement of the 2022 college football season, Golding called the Tide’s pass rushing depth “unique.”

Golding does not care about what the Tide’s special formation is called saying,

"Let’s get the best four guys to rush and put them where you need to put them"

The added value is when four guys overwhelm pass protection it leaves seven guys to close all passing route windows.

With all the words of enthusiasm, a simple statement by Will Anderson Jr. should not go unnoticed.

"There aren’t a lot of knuckleheads in the locker room"

There are some unknowns on offense. It is possible the Crimson Tide might be less explosive than last season. Because of the defense, it will not matter.