Kane Wommack has done excellent work in his two years as Alabama's defensive coordinator. He's grown a lot during the time, perhaps none more so than his willingness to be uncomfortable as a defensive play caller.
Wommack's preference is to drop back into zone coverage and force offenses to nickel and dime down the field, banking on his defense to make plays that keep the opponent out of the endzone. Against Oklahoma in the opening round of the College Football Playoff, that wasn't working.
The Sooners scored 17 points on their first four offensive possessions, forcing Wommack to get aggressive in response. He started blitzing, and Oklahoma ultimately only scored seven points the rest of the way as Alabama rallied from the 17-0 deficit to win 34-24 and advance to face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.
Wommack clearly realizes he's going to have to bring pressure against Indiana to try and force the issue. Indiana is comfortable taking what the defense gives you and methodically moving the ball down the field.
"They can bleed you down the field if you allow them to do that," Wommack said.
Expect an aggressive Crimson Tide defense in Pasadena. Wommack knows the game is likely to come down to who can make explosive plays and who can force takeaways. Indiana is one of the best teams in the country at taking care of the football, but Alabama's defense has been opportunistic at forcing turnovers.
“It will be a great challenge for us, but it will also be a challenge for them," Wommack said about turnovers. "I think explosive plays and turnover margin will define the outcome of this football game.”
Kane Wommack knows the Alabama defense needs to force a takeaway or two vs. Indiana
Indiana ranks 4th in the country in turnovers per game at just 0.7. Alabama has been just as good, turning it over 0.8 times per game, a mark that ranks 12th in the nation. Indiana forces two turnovers per game to Alabama's 1.5. That gives the Hoosiers a slight advantage in turnover margin over the Crimson Tide. Indiana sits No. 1 in the country in turnover margin, but Alabama isn't far behind at No. 13.
In a game that features two really good teams, it will likely come down to who can play the cleanest game. That has been Indiana's m.o. all season long, and it will be up to Wommack and his defense to change that.
Alabama will have to force the issue, getting pressure on Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, causing him to make throws he's not comfortable with. Wommack will have to get creative with his pressure packages and be willing to make adjustments to the gameplan if things don't work from the outset.
That has been something that Wommack has been willing to do this year that he may have been more apprehensive about last year. There's more trust in his guys this season, and that trust helped lead to Alabama's come-from-behind win over Oklahoma in the opening round of the CFP.
If Alabama can manufacture pressure on Mendoza and perhaps force a turnover or two, it will go a long way toward the Crimson Tide potentially pulling out a Rose Bowl upset.