Kane Wommack's first season as Alabama's defensive coordinator was largely a success. Despite a lot of roster turnover from the previous season, particularly in the secondary, Alabama finished as one of the 10 best defenses in college football in 2024. Being merely a Top 10 defense isn't all that noteworthy for a program spoiled by dominant defenses of the past, but with the roster turnover and injuries Wommack had to navigate, it was a feat that should not go unnoticed.
Heading into 2025, expectations are soaring for the Crimson Tide's defense. All three levels of the defense return impressive talent from a year ago.
In order to take the leap from a Top 10 defense to become the best defense in the nation, which make no mistake, this team has the talent to reach those heights; there's an obvious improvement from a year ago that has to be made.
One of the biggest weaknesses of last season's defense was the pass rush. Alabama struggled to get pressure on the QB without sending the house. Wommack's defense still finished 10th in opponent yards per play, and that was despite ranking 66th in the country in sack percentage.
It's a legitimate question mark, perhaps the only one, for the 2025 Tide defense. Gone are Que Robinson and Jihaad Campbell, the team's two leaders in sacks a year ago.
Wommack isn't too set in his ways to not tweak some things in order to fix what was a weakness last year.
Kane Wommack's plan to improve the Alabama pass rush
"Certainly from the standpoint of creating more sacks defensively, it was something that we needed to look at," Wommack said. "Fundamentally, we tweaked some things, and schematically, just created some more variance in some of the things that we’re doing in passing downs."
Part of the problem a year ago wasn't getting in the backfield; it was finishing plays once they got there. DE LT Overton was one of the best in the country a year ago at winning his one-on-one matchups with offensive linemen, but he struggled to bring guys down in the backfield. Wommack stressed finishing plays as something that is as important as schematic changes.
“There’s creating the opportunity to make the play, and ultimately production comes when a guy executes his job, and then he can finish on the ball carrier. We talk to the guys about this all the time. Before a ball is snapped, before you make a play, what does it take to bring a grown man to the ground? You gotta ask that question to yourself internally so that you are in position to physically go execute and bring a grown man to the ground."
In theory, Alabama should improve significantly in creating havoc in the backfield this season. Overton will be better at finishing. The Wolf LB room has a lot of potential in getting after the passer. With Qua Russaw's freaky athleticism, he should become a feared player off the edge. But behind Russaw, there's potential for others to make contributions. Yhonzae Pierre, Noah Carter, and true freshman Justin Hill have a chance to get snaps and make a difference as pass rushers.
Alabama having one of the best secondaries in the country will also help improve the pass rush. The front seven will have more time to get after quarterbacks if receivers are getting clamped.
Alabama has the talent to make the leap to become one of the most dominant defenses in the country, which could key a National Championship run.