Alabama's run defense is approaching a 'prove it' moment at Tennessee

Everybody talks about fixing their mistakes, but the real test comes when you're forced to prove you've learned from them.

For Kane Wommack and Alabama's run defense, that moment is coming Saturday.

This test comes after watching the Crimson Tide surrender 206 rush yards on 39 attempts in their loss to Georgia, exposing issues Alabama can ill afford to carry into another critical SEC matchup. But the Bulldogs' success on the ground was a departure from what had been a strength for Wommack's defense through the first five games.

Prior to that, Alabama was allowing just 78.6 rushing yards on 2.47 yards per carry, ranking among the nation's top 10 defenses against the run. But after holding Georgia to just 49 rushing yards in the first half before surrendering another 157 yards after halftime, questions are beginning to emerge about whether the Bulldogs exposed a flaw in Wommack's defense or simply caught the Tide on a bad day.

Some of that regression, however, could be attributed to injuries along Alabama's front seven. Justin Hill and Desmond Umeozulu were both unavailable, while Terrance Green's injury forced him to miss critical downs in the second half. Still, injuries only tell part of the story. 

Now, the Crimson Tide face another test against a Tennessee rushing attack that presents a similar challenge. The Volunteers have made establishing the run and generating explosive plays off of it a combination Wommack knows Alabama must contain to avoid another difficult afternoon on the ground.

Kane Wommack knows Alabama's ability to contain DeSean Bishop and Tennessee's rushing attack will be critical in Knoxville

“It’ll be critical,” Wommack said Monday. “You think about what Tennessee is doing really well right now is they are playing team football. They are running the football. They’re committed to running the football. They are finding explosive plays off of them running the football, and so it’s all predicated on them running in the running game and then creating explosives out of their run game and then the shots that come off of it in the passing game. And so what they’re doing a really good job of, right, is they’re playing that complementary style of football where they’re establishing the run, keeping the clock, and then on defense, right? I think they lead the country in sacks right now, so they’re getting offenses in negative positions and getting off the field on 3rd down because of it.”

At the center of that challenge is a familiar face: Tennessee redshirt junior running back DeSean Bishop, who gave Alabama's defense fits in last season's meeting with 123 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 attempts, averaging 8.8 yards per carry.

The 5-foot-10, 215-pound bell cow has also carried that same momentum into the 2026 season, ranking second in the SEC in rushing with 678 yards and eight touchdowns on 107 carries through six games. 

For Alabama defenders, slowing down Bishop will come down to discipline and execution, particularly when it comes to maintaining sound run fits and finishing tackles. Junior cornerback and team captain Zabien Brown emphasized the challenge Bishop presents, pointing to the Tennessee back's patience and physical running style.

"He's a hard runner," Brown told reporters Tuesday after practice. "You know, he's patient, and he's gonna test out discipline and our ability to get guys on the ground but we'll be ready for it."

Sophomore linebacker Luke Metz also acknowledged that some of the lessons from Alabama's defensive game plan against Georgia will carry over as the Tide prepare to head to Knoxville.

"There's a little bit of carryover," Metz said. "I mean, run fits are always going to be important. We know the challenge that Tennessee presents us with their run offense. And that's what we're preparing for this week."

Brown, Metz, and the rest of the Crimson Tide's defensive unit's understanding heading into Saturday is vital, but the unit's performance against Tennessee will provide the real test of whether Alabama learned from its mistakes. It'll be interesting to see whether this matchup proves Georgia exposed a one-game setback or a weakness that could continue to haunt Wommack's defense the rest of the season. 

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow